List of ambassadors of the United States to Lesotho

Last updated

Ambassador of the United States to Lesotho
US Department of State official seal.svg
Seal of the United States Department of State
Incumbent
Thomas Hines
Chargé d'affaires ad interim
since August 13, 2024 [1]
NominatorThe President of the United States
AppointerThe President
with Senate advice and consent
Inaugural holder Richard St. F. Post
as Chargé d'affaires ad interim
FormationOctober 4, 1966
Website ls.usembassy.gov

Prior to 1965, the area of southern Africa that is now Lesotho was a Crown colony by the name of Basutoland. Along with most of the empire's other colonies and protectorates, Basutoland gained full independence from Britain in the 1960s. The nation was granted full autonomy on April 30, 1965. On October 4, 1966, Basutoland was granted independence, governed by a constitutional monarchy with a bicameral parliament. At the same time the name of the country was changed to The Kingdom of Lesotho.

Contents

The United States immediately recognized Lesotho after the nation gained its independence. An embassy in Maseru was established on October 4, 1966, Lesotho's independence day. Richard St. F. Post was appointed as chargé d'affaires ad interim pending the arrival of an ambassador. The first ambassador, Charles J. Nelson was appointed on June 9, 1971. Until 1979 one ambassador was accredited to Lesotho, Swaziland, and Botswana. The ambassador was resident in Gaborone, Botswana.

Ambassadors

NameTitleAppointed Presented credentials Terminated missionNotes
Charles J. Nelson – Career FSO [2] Ambassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryJune 9, 1971September 23, 1971Left Gaborone, March 2, 1974
David B. Bolen – Career FSO [2] February 28, 1974April 25, 1974Left Gaborone, August 11, 1976
Donald R. Norland – Career FSO [2] [3] November 17, 1976January 6, 1977Left Gaborone, October 6, 1979Beginning in 1979, the ambassador was accredited solely to Lesotho and resident in Maseru.
John R. Clingerman – Career FSOSeptember 28, 1979November 1, 1979November 15, 1981
Keith Lapham Brown – Political appointeeMarch 9, 1982March 25, 1982December 1, 1983
Shirley Abbott – Political appointeeMay 11, 1984July 3, 1984August 18, 1986 [4]
Robert M. Smalley [5] – Political appointeeJune 15, 1987July 2, 1987July 7, 1989
Leonard H. O. Spearman – Political appointeeOctober 22, 1990January 24, 1991April 25, 1993Karl Hoffmann served as chargé d'affaires ad interim, April 1993–April 1995.
Bismarck Myrick – Career FSOMarch 4, 1995April 27, 1995June 10, 1998
Katherine Canavan – Career FSOJune 29, 1998September 18, 1998June 1, 2001
Robert Geers Loftis – Career FSOAugust 6, 2001October 11, 2001June 18, 2004
June Carter Perry – Career FSOJuly 2, 2004September 23, 2004May 21, 2007 [6]
Robert B. Nolan – Career FSOSeptember 26, 2007October 10, 2007September 3, 2010 [7]
Michele T. Bond – Career FSOSeptember 14, 2010October 28, 2010December 4, 2012 [8]
Matthew T. Harrington – Career FSOSeptember 22, 2014October 18, 2014January 20, 2017
Rebecca Gonzales – Career FSONovember 16, 2017February 8, 2018February 4, 2022 [9]
Maria E. Brewer – Career FSODecember 18, 2021March 10, 2022April 12, 2024
Keisha Toms Boutaleb – Career FSOChargé d'affaires ad interimApril 12, 2024August 13, 2024
Thomas Hines – Career FSOChargé d'affaires ad interimAugust 13, 2024Incumbent

Notes

  1. ↑ "Chargé d'Affaires A.I. Thomas Hines Chargé d'Affaires A.I. Thomas Hines". 13 August 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 Accredited to Lesotho, Swaziland, and Botswana; resident at Gaborone.
  3. ↑ Norland was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on June 24, 1977.
  4. ↑ "Shirley Levoy Abbott - People - Department History - Office of the Historian".
  5. ↑ "The Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training Foreign Affairs Oral History Project AMBASSADOR ROBERT M. SMALLEY" (PDF). Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training. 21 March 1991. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 July 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  6. ↑ "June Carter Perry - People - Department History - Office of the Historian".
  7. ↑ "Nolan, Robert". US Department of State. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  8. ↑ "Bond, Michele Thoren". US Department of State. Archived from the original on 13 October 2013. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  9. ↑ "The US ambassador to Lesotho MRS. Rebecca Gonzales has paid the courtesy call to Lesotho Defense force commander for her last greetings before returning to her home country. – PC FM". 4 February 2022.

See also

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References

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