Press Release - Readout of President-elect Biden's Foreign Leader Calls

President-elect Joe Biden took part in separate congratulatory calls today with the leaders of Argentina, Costa Rica, and Kenya as well as with the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

The president-elect spoke with President Alberto Fernández of Argentina. The president-elect thanked President Fernández for his congratulations and expressed his appreciation for the longstanding and deep friendship between the United States and Argentina. He pledged to work closely with Argentina to contain the COVID-19 pandemic and advance global health security, including through strengthening hemispheric institutions. He emphasized the need for even deeper hemispheric cooperation on advancing economic prosperity, combating climate change, strengthening democracy, and managing regional migration flows, among other shared challenges. The president-elect also acknowledged the significance of His Holiness Pope Francis to the people of Argentina and Latin America.

The president-elect spoke with President Carlos Alvarado of Costa Rica, whom he thanked for his congratulations. The president-elect expressed his appreciation for Costa Rica's leadership on human rights, regional migration, COVID-19, and the threat of climate change. He underscored his concern for the people of Central America as they seek to rebuild from recent hurricanes and the challenges associated with climate migration. The president-elect pledged to deepen the U.S.-Costa Rica partnership based on shared democratic values, while also advancing a shared vision for regional prosperity and more effective hemispheric institutions.

The president-elect spoke with President Kenyatta of Kenya. The president-elect offered his gratitude for President Kenyatta's congratulations and expressed his appreciation for the strong and lasting ties between our two countries. He conveyed his interest in building on that partnership across a range of issues, including by tackling the threat of climate change, supporting refugees and their host communities, and addressing challenges of regional security and instability.

The president-elect spoke with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, whom he thanked for his congratulations. They discussed the need for a strengthened partnership between the United States and the United Nations on urgent global issues, including combatting COVID-19 and building resilience to future public health challenges; confronting the threat of climate change; addressing humanitarian need; advancing sustainable development; upholding peace and security and resolving conflicts; and promoting democracy and human rights. The president-elect also noted his deep concern for escalating violence in Ethiopia and the risk it poses to civilians.