NEW YORK, 26 February, 2021 (TON): On Wednesday, Linda Thomas-Greenfield was sworn in as the United States ambassador to the United Nations.

The diplomat who was Assistant Secretary of State for Africa under the administration of Barack Obama was confirmed by 78 votes to 20 in the upper house, which has the power to approve or reject presidential nominations.

And her inauguration followed a confirmation vote by the Senate on Tuesday.

The third African American to hold UN post, Ms. Greenfield took her oath of office before Vice President Kamala Harris.

Thomas-Greenfield, a respected career ambassador, was one of President Joe Biden's first picks for his national security team. An Africa specialist, she served as U.S. ambassador to Liberia and held posts in Kenya, The Gambia, and Nigeria.

She was expected to travel to New York, the seat of the United Nations, to present her credentials to UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday.

As a former president, Trump pulled the US out of key agencies such as UNESCO and the World Health Organization and reneged on key international agreements such as the Iran nuclear deal and the Paris Climate Accord, as he promoted his America First policy. Observers have said that Washington's influence at the United Nations diminished under Donald Trump.