Islamabad, May 4 (ANI): US Secretary of State John Kerry has named veteran diplomat James Dobbins as the new special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Appointing Dobbins, Kerry said that his appointment was ‘a pivotal moment’ for the two nations, with interconnected political, security, and economic transitions already under way in Afghanistan, and Pakistani elections just days away, marking an important and historic democratic transition.
Dobbins, who has served in difficult posts such as Kosovo and in 2001 raised the US flag over the embassy in Kabul after the fall of the Taliban, will be taking up a job once held by Richard Holbrooke, Kerry said.
According to Dawn News, the post of special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan has been vacant since Marc Grossman stepped down in December.
Grossman had come out of retirement to take the job after Holbrooke’s sudden death in December 2010.
According to the report, Dobbins was special envoy to Afghanistan under former president George W. Bush. (ANI)