( CNN ) -- The United States has a new charge d'affairs in Libya to oversee diplomatic efforts in the wake of Ambassador Chris Stevens ' killing . Laurence Pope arrived Thursday in Tripoli to take on the role , the State Department announced . With no ambassador in the country , Pope will handle those duties . State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Pope `` looks forward to working with the Libyan government and the Libyan people during this historic and challenging time , as we build strong economic , social , political , and educational bridges between our two people . '' `` We will continue to assist as Libya builds democratic institutions and broad respect for the rule of law -- the goals that Ambassador Stevens worked hard to achieve , '' Nuland said in a written statement . Pope , who was born in 1945 , is coming out of retirement to take the job . A speaker of Arabic and French , he spent decades in the diplomatic ranks , beginning in 1969 , before retiring in 2000 . He held some senior posts , including director of Northern Gulf Affairs , associate director for counterterrorism , and political adviser to the commander of U.S. Central Command .
Laurence Pope is the new charge d'affairs in Libya , handling ambassador duties . He came out of retirement to take the job . Comment: