US President Joe Biden's swift steps to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement and ensure a presence at the World Health Organization (WHO) are being welcomed by Kiwi politicians.
Biden was inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States on Thursday, bringing the tumultuous presidency of Donald Trump to an end.
In his inaugural speech, Biden promised the US would "repair our alliances and engage with the world once again" after Trump withdrew the nation from several international agreements and consortiums, focused instead on his 'America First' pledge.
"We will lead not merely by the example of our power but by the power of our example," Biden said. "We will be a strong and trusted partner for peace, progress, and security."
Within hours, Biden had already signed executive orders which allowed the US to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement - a commitment to keep global warming to 2C - and resume funding to the WHO. The withdrawal of the US from each had been controversial policies of the Trump administration.
Labour minister David Parker told The AM Show on Friday that the Biden presidency was significant for the international community.
"[It's been a] catastrophic few months in the US. They have now had more COVID deaths than people who died in the US from World War II. It is just phenomenal. They have had a violent mob storm their Parliament," he said.
"[It's] fantastic that Biden is already reentering the international community, bringing the power of the US hopefully as a force of good rather than a negative… let's hope they are turning a new leaf".
Parker said Trump's legacy will be the "misleading of the public [and] the denial of the election which undermined democracy".
"They are pretty big stains on the record of the prior administration."
National's Simon Bridges, a former foreign affairs spokesperson for the party, said it was "great to have certainty after a messy, painful period" and that there is "the hope of civility".
"[There's] COVID, obviously heaps to do there. Climate change. I think, though, in some other areas, actually it is maybe that we see less happening in trade," he said.
"If it is a more constructive tone than perhaps we have seen from President Trump, that is going to be a very good thing for the world."
The common interests of the US and New Zealand were laid out by Kiwi Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Thursday.
In a statement congratulating Biden on his inauguration, Ardern said she looked forward to "building a close relationship" with him.
"New Zealand and the United States have shared interests in addressing global challenges including climate change, the COVID-19 economic recovery, and the security, prosperity and sustainability of the Indo-Pacific and Pacific Island regions.
"We have a common investment in the international rules-based order and I welcome President Biden's intentions for the US to re-join the Paris Agreement and halt its withdrawal from the World Health Organization."
Other world leaders who have previously criticised the Trump administration's isolationism were also full of relief.
In a tweet on Thursday, European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen said "The United States is back. Europe stands ready. To reconnect with an old and trusted partner, to breathe new life into our cherished alliance."
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he wanted to strengthen the two countries' partnership and work on their "shared priorities: from tackling climate change, building back better from the pandemic and strengthening our transatlantic security".
Among the other executive orders signed by Biden on Thursday was an order mandating the wearing of masks on federal property as well as a proclamation ending the so-called Muslim travel ban.
