UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "very much looks forward to working" with State Department spokesman Heather Nauert, named on Friday to be the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, replacing Nikki Haley.
"The secretary-general very much looks forward to working with Miss Nauert when she assumes her post and continuing the very productive and strong working relationship he enjoyed with Ambassador Haley," Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-General Guterres, told reporters at a regular briefing.
Nauert's selection by U.S. President Donald Trump was no surprise at the United Nations since her name was among the very first mentioned as a possible successor to Haley, a former governor of the U.S. state of South Carolina.
By contrast, Nauert has little political or foreign policy experience, having worked as a State Department spokesman since April 2017 and before that as the host of a television show on Trump's favorite network, Fox, and a TV correspondent at ABC News.
She follows a respected list of U.S. ambassadors to the world organization many of whom had distinctive careers in politics or diplomacy. Her future colleagues in the UN Security Council also have had distinguished careers in diplomacy.
Haley, in announcing her intention to quit the post said she was leaving at the end of the year. She announced no further plans although she has been mentioned as a possible future candidate for the U.S. presidency.
"She's very talented, very smart, very quick, and I think she's going to be respected by all," the president said of Nauert.
However, Nauert has to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate before officially taking up her post, leaving little time for Haley to show her the ropes by Dec. 31.
