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Veteran French diplomat named UN special envoy for assistance to Pakistan

Veteran French diplomat named UN special envoy for assistance to Pakistan

New Special Envoy for Assistance to Pakistan, Jean-Maurice Ripert (left), with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (File photo)
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed the current French Ambassador to the United Nations as his Special Envoy for Assistance to Pakistan, a newly-created position, it was announced today.

In his new capacity, Jean-Maurice Ripert will, in concert with the Pakistani Government and international partners, promote a “strategic, coherent and comprehensive approach to supporting the humanitarian, recovery and reconstruction needs of crisis affected areas,” according to a press statement accompanying the announcement.

The position was created by the Secretary-General to help the Government and the international community to respond to needs in the wake of Pakistan’s displacement crisis, which at its zenith earlier this year had forced over 2 million people from their homes in the South Asian nation’s north-west.

Among Mr. Ripert’s tasks will be creating a comprehensive approach among bilateral and international financial institutions, as well as mobilizing resources and support.

The veteran diplomat, who started his career in the French foreign service in 1980, “brings to this challenging assignment a wealth of experience in the international fora and a solid track record in consensus building,” the press statement noted.

Prior to his current posting, Mr. Ripert served as France’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, and from 2003 to 2005 he was the Director of the UN and International Organizations section at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Paris.

Last week, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that around 1.6 million of the over 2 million people displaced by conflict in north-west Pakistan have returned to their villages, citing Government figures.