ISLAMABAD: Ambassador David Hale, a career diplomat, arrived in Islamabad on Wednesday to take up his new assignment as the US Ambassador to Pakistan.

He will present his credentials to President Mamnoon Hussain at the earliest opportunity, said a US Embassy statement.

“After presenting his credentials, he will begin working with his Pakistani counterparts and the people to strengthen American-Pakistani relations, increase trade between the two countries, further enhance our security partnership and advance the broad agenda laid out by President Obama and Prime Minister Sharif when they met in Washington on October 22, 2015,” the statement read.

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David Hale, born 1961, has currently been the US ambassador to Lebanon since August 1, 2013. He is the successor to Richard Olson, who has been US ambassador in Islamabad since September 2012.

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He is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service holding the rank of Career Minister.

Previously, he was the Special Envoy for Middle East Peace (2011-2013), Deputy Special Envoy for Middle East Peace (2009-11), and American Ambassador to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (2005-8).

The newly-assigned ambassador has also served in Tunisia, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and at the US Mission to the United Nations, with multiple tours in Lebanon and Jordan.

In Washington, Hale was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Israel, Egypt and the Levant, Director for Israel and Palestinian Affairs, and Executive Assistant to Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

In 2013, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave him the distinguished service award. Hale also has several department superior and meritorious honour awards.

Hale, who also speaks fluent Arabic, is a graduate of Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service and was born in the US state of New Jersey.