Trump picks former adversary Nikki Haley as UN ambassador

Donald Trump has appointed South Carolina governor Nikki Haley to be his ambassador to the United Nations, making her the first woman he has picked to be part of his administration beginning in 2017.

The president-elect of the United States has been busy attempting to assemble his team ahead of his entry to the White House on January 20, as well as formulating his policies for his first term as leader of the Free World.

Haley will take over a prominent role in the administration, alongside a president with little-to-no foreign policy experience. She criticised Trump on various occasions throughout his campaign, in particular for his harsh policies towards immigrants.

The governor is the daughter of Indian immigrants, and despite her status as a Republican, has a record of being on the more liberal end of her party, after she led an effort to remove the Confederate flag in government grounds in Columbia, South Carolina.

"Governor Haley has a proven track record of bringing people together regardless of background or party affiliation to move critical policies forward for the betterment of her state and our country," Trump said after the confirmation of Haley's appointment.

She is not known for having extensive experience in foreign policy issues, but reports suggest Trump is keen to appoint cabinet members from a wide range of the political spectrum.

"She is also a proven deal-maker, and we look to be making plenty of deals. She will be a great leader representing us on the world stage," Trump added.