TANZANIA – Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced $200 million in humanitarian aid for conflict-torn Sudan during what was likely his final trip to the United Nations while in office.
With the U.N. Security Council more divided than ever, Blinken led two meetings of the U.N.’s most powerful body on Thursday, capping his engagements with the world body after a tumultuous four years that saw war return to Europe and multiple crises in the Middle East.
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But neither focused on Russia’s war with Ukraine or the Mideast, where the U.S. has been frequently at odds with permanent members China and Russia and almost always in the minority when it comes to Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.
Instead, in an apparent bid to produce a modicum of consensus, Blinken led Security Council sessions on artificial intelligence and Sudan, where conflict has sparked a dire humanitarian crisis that aid agencies say has not received enough attention.
The money announced by Blinken will go toward food, shelter and health care for the people of Sudan. He also said the State Department will work with Congress to provide an additional $30 million to elevate civilian voices to help with the transition back to democratic governance.
Here’s a look at America's top diplomat at the U.N.:
Why did Blinken preside over Security Council meetings?
Blinken has been appearing in person and virtually before the Security Council since March 2021, just after assuming his position as the Biden administration’s top diplomat.
In addition to several one-off council meetings, including one in February 2022 shortly before Russia invaded Ukraine, Blinken has gone to New York for a week every September for the annual General Assembly gathering of world leaders.
The presidency of the Security Council rotates alphabetically every month among its 15 members. This month, it's the U.S. turn.
The country holding the presidency almost always organizes several signature events on topics its government chooses. Presidents, prime ministers and foreign ministers often preside at these meetings, which ministers from other council nations are invited to attend.
Why was the US not highlighting the Middle East or Ukraine?
Russia and China have blocked all council action condemning the invasion of Ukraine.
This has led U.S. officials to believe that a session on the topic, especially as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office with a stated goal of ending the war immediately, would likely be a waste of time.
On the Middle East, the U.S. has frequently vetoed council action condemning Israel for its tactics against Hamas in Gaza, leaving it virtually alone at the United Nations in supporting Israel.
Why was the US focusing on Sudan?
War broke out in Sudan last year between rival generals heading the military and paramilitary forces. The fighting has left tens of thousands dead, forced millions from their homes and pushed a large swath of Sudan’s population to starvation — creating an often forgotten global crisis the U.S. is seeking to spotlight.
The roughly $230 million in assistance announced Thursday brings total U.S. support to over $2.3 billion since the fighting erupted.
Blinken said the fighting unleashed the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, and every day “brings new atrocities, attacks on hospitals, on markets, displaced persons, camps, summary executions, women and girls subjected to unspeakable sexual violence.”
“We continue to see war crimes and crimes against humanity committed across vast parts of Sudan,” he said.
Why did the US choose AI?
The U.S. leads the world in developing AI technology, according to a recently released Stanford University index, and it has been in the forefront of U.N. action on AI.
In March, the first U.N. resolution on artificial intelligence was adopted by the 193-member General Assembly. Sponsored by the U.S., it gives global support to an international effort to ensure the powerful technology benefits all nations, respects human rights and is “safe, secure and trustworthy.”
Blinken said AI has the potential to do “tremendous good” but can also pose “tremendous threats to the international peace and security that this council is charged with upholding.”
He noted that “repressive regimes are using AI-enabled surveillance to target journalists and political dissidents" and that "if algorithms are built into weapon systems, and if they malfunction, they could spark a conflict.”
“By setting rules of the road for AI we can minimize these risks, we can harness the exceptional promise of this technology,” he said.
Did Blinken confront Russia?
Blinken has represented the U.S. at the Security Council about half a dozen times at meetings ranging from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to the war in Gaza.
Russia, like the U.S. and China, is a permanent veto-holding member of the 15-nation council, and both have seats at its horseshoe-shaped table.
But apart from pointed disagreements during debates, there have been no confrontations or one-on-one meetings between Blinken and Russian diplomats at previous U.N. meetings — and there was none on Thursday.
Blinken thanked Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia after his remarks — as is custom — even though Nebenzia accused the U.S. of imposing rules on others but not abiding by them. But the Russian envoy agreed that “we cannot allow AI to dominate human beings and human values.”
It is not unusual for Blinken or other senior U.S. officials to attend international meetings and conferences where Russian officials are present, but interactions are rare.
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Lee reported from Washington.