France's ambassador is being named to a new post as U.N. special envoy for assistance to Pakistan, AP reported. Jean-Maurice Ripert, who represented France at the United Nations for two years, will coordinate aid efforts to hundreds of thousands of Pakistanis displaced by fighting between the government and the Taliban since April. More than 2 million initially fled their homes. U.N. spokeswoman Michele Montas said Monday that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon created the new job and appointed Ripert to ensure there is «a strategic, coherent and comprehensive approach» by the U.N. and other groups to help Pakistan recover. Ripert is stepping down as ambassador at the end of this month and is to be replaced by Gerard Araud, the political director at the French Foreign Ministry.
