Susan Rice, the new U.S. permanent representative to the United Nations, Monday presented her credentials to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Susan Rice (L), new U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, presents her credential to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon at the UN headquarters in New York, the United States, Jan. 26, 2009. [Xinhua]

Rice is the first African American to assume the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations as the new U.S. administration and the United Nations both vowed to work closely with each other to address major global problems, such as the Middle East peace process and the climate change.

U.S. President Barack Obama assured his "strong support" to the United Nations when Ban and Obama discussed major international issues in their phone talks last Friday.

She is with the U.S. Mission to the United Nations to succeed Zalmay Khalilizad, who served as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations from 2007 to 2009.

Susan Rice (L), new U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, shakes hands with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon after presenting her credential at the UN headquarters in New York, the United States, Jan. 26, 2009. [Xinhua]

She told the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Jan. 14 that she would work to strengthen the world body as an "indispensable if imperfect" institution.