It is with a solid background in foreign policy that the future President of the United States Joe Biden will settle in the White House on January 20.
A connoisseur of international relations, the Democratic senator chaired the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee in 2002, increasing the number of trips to Iraq and Afghanistan, before becoming Vice-President of Barack Obama (2009-2017).
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has rubbed shoulders with the former vice president of the United States in the past, also praised Biden's "decades of foreign policy experience."
"He knows Germany and Europe well," said the German Chancellor, who congratulated him "very warmly" on his electoral victory.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, former US Vice President Joe Biden and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on June 7, 2011, in Washington.
© Manuel Balce Ceneta, AP Photo
Germany is not the only country in a hurry to turn the page on the Trump years.
Its European neighbors have also called for rebuilding with the United States a "solid partnership" after four years of conflict: the American withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on the climate and the Iranian nuclear agreement or the opposition on taxation digital or even NATO ...
Congratulations to @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris #EU is ready to engage for a strong transatlantic partnership.
COVID-19, multilateralism, climate change and international trade are some of the challenges which Europe wants to address together. # EUCO https://t.co/lPKdcHjMdl
- Charles Michel (@eucopresident) November 7, 2020
Welcome back America!
Congratulations to @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris for this election!
As we are going to celebrate the 5 years of the Paris Agreement, this victory is a beautiful symbol for more than ever to act together in the face of the climate emergency.
🇺🇸 # Election2020
- Anne Hidalgo (@Anne_Hidalgo) November 7, 2020
"For 70 years, the United States, along with the Democratic and Republican presidents, has played a leading role in making rules, signing agreements, and enlivening institutions that have guided relations between nations and advanced security and collective prosperity - up to Trump, "lamented Joe Biden last April, in an article in Foreign Affairs magazine.
Repair, strengthen alliances
In this context, Joe Biden, who defines himself as "the president who unites and not who divides", declared Tuesday, November 8, that America was "back" on the world stage.
In front of several world leaders - including Emmanuel Macron - he also said he was "confident" in his ability to restore international "respect" for his country.
"I told them America is back", "it's not America alone anymore".
Among the priority issues is the climate, and in particular the Paris Agreement.
The Democratic candidate has pledged to return to the text "from day one".
He also intends to invest $ 2,000 billion over four years for a colossal plan to combat global warming.
“During his first 100 days in power,” he will also bring together the leaders of the most polluting nations for a climate summit, where he intends to convince these countries to revise their commitments upwards.
In the list of other fractures that Joe Biden intends to repair, the cancellation of the procedure for the withdrawal of the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO), launched by Donald Trump in July, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic .
"Americans are safer when America is engaged in strengthening global health," pleaded Joe Biden.
Americans are safer when America is engaged in strengthening global health.
On my first day as President, I will rejoin the @WHO and restore our leadership on the world stage.
https://t.co/8uazVIgPZB
- Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 7, 2020
NATO, a "sacred" commitment
Finally, the elected president also pledged to host "a world summit for democracy in order to renew the spirit and the common goal of the nations of the free world".
The stated objective of the rally is to obtain commitments in the fight against corruption, authoritarianism, in particular through electoral security, and the promotion of human rights in the world.
Without forgetting his desire to join the United Nations Human Rights Council.
Regarding NATO, the transatlantic partnership should regain color and a more courteous tone than under the mandate of Donald Trump.
Countering "Russian aggression"
On the other hand, if there is one issue on which the Democrat is more intransigent than his predecessor, it is Russia.
According to Joe Biden, this is "the greatest threat to America right now, in terms of our security and our alliances."
"We must impose real costs on Russia for its violations of international standards and stand alongside Russian civil society, which has bravely opposed the authoritarian kleptocratic system of President Vladimir Putin," said Joe Biden.
Nevertheless, the elected president should continue on the path of the reduction of strategic weapons, negotiated in 1991 with Russia.
Unite your allies to confront China
And what will be the relationship with Beijing?
For Joe Biden, China remains America's “biggest competitor”.
He promised to lead his country to "win the competition" by committing to invest heavily in new technologies as part of his "Buy American" economic program.
Few details have filtered out on Donald Trump's continued sanctions against blacklisted entities like Huawei, but the president-elect intends to adopt a less unilateral method than that of his predecessor.
He plans to work with his allies at odds with Beijing to put collective pressure on his rival, whether on climate issues, global public health, or non-proliferation - especially vis-Ă -vis North Korea. .
No more "wars forever"
On the eastern side, Donald Trump's lineage of ending “the eternal wars” in Afghanistan and Iraq should continue with the White House tenant.
The latter also said he wanted "to end our support for the war led by Saudi Arabia in Yemen".
But Joe Biden should stand out on the Iranian dossier since he wishes to "enter" into the nuclear agreement "if Tehran resumes respecting" the text, which had been negotiated by the Obama-Biden administration "alongside our allies. and other world powers ".
Senator Barack Obama and Senate Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Joe Biden, Washington, January 31, 2007. © Susan Walsh, AP Photo / File
On the Israeli-Palestinian front, Joe Biden should not stray too far from Donald Trump's line, aligning himself with the two-state solution, promoted by Donald Trump, while ensuring he wants to reconnect with the Palestinians.
In particular, he wishes to renew American funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which the Republican had interrupted.
No hard Brexit
Finally, it would be wrong to believe that Brexit is a hot topic for Joe Biden.
British Prime Minister and Donald Trump ally Boris Johnson has long believed he could negotiate an "ambitious" post-Brexit trade deal with the United States.
But Joe Biden's presidential victory decided otherwise.
In Ireland, Joe Biden's victory sparks pride
01:32
Joe Biden made it clear to the BBC: "I am Irish".
One way of reminding us that he is not ready to respond at all costs to the "special relationship" between the United Kingdom and the United States.
This text is inspired by the English version: 'Back at the head of the table': A look at Biden's foreign policy agenda
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