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List of ambassadors of the United States to Lesotho

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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.

Ambassador of the United States to Lesotho
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 holderRichard St. F. Post
as Chargé d'affaires ad interim
FormationOctober 4, 1966
Websitels.usembassy.gov

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 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

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  • Note: Pending appointment of the first ambassador, the following officers served as chargé d'affaires ad interim: Richard St. F. Post (October 1966–July 1968), Norman E. Barth (July 1968–August 1969), and Stephen G. Gebelt (October 1969–December 1970).
Name Title Appointed Presented credentials Terminated mission Notes
Charles J. Nelson – Career FSO[2] Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary June 9, 1971 September 23, 1971 Left Gaborone, March 2, 1974
David B. Bolen – Career FSO[2] February 28, 1974 April 25, 1974 Left Gaborone, August 11, 1976
Donald R. Norland – Career FSO[2][3] November 17, 1976 January 6, 1977 Left Gaborone, October 6, 1979 Beginning in 1979, the ambassador was accredited solely to Lesotho and resident in Maseru.
John R. Clingerman – Career FSO September 28, 1979 November 1, 1979 November 15, 1981
Keith Lapham Brown – Political appointee March 9, 1982 March 25, 1982 December 1, 1983
Shirley Abbott – Political appointee May 11, 1984 July 3, 1984 August 18, 1986[4]
Robert M. Smalley[5] – Political appointee June 15, 1987 July 2, 1987 July 7, 1989
Leonard H. O. Spearman – Political appointee October 22, 1990 January 24, 1991 April 25, 1993 Karl Hoffmann served as chargé d'affaires ad interim, April 1993–April 1995.
Bismarck Myrick – Career FSO March 4, 1995 April 27, 1995 June 10, 1998
Katherine Canavan – Career FSO June 29, 1998 September 18, 1998 June 1, 2001
Robert Geers Loftis – Career FSO August 6, 2001 October 11, 2001 June 18, 2004
June Carter Perry – Career FSO July 2, 2004 September 23, 2004 May 21, 2007[6]
Robert B. Nolan – Career FSO September 26, 2007 October 10, 2007 September 3, 2010[7]
Michele T. Bond – Career FSO September 14, 2010 October 28, 2010 December 4, 2012[8]
Matthew T. Harrington – Career FSO September 22, 2014 October 18, 2014 January 20, 2017
Rebecca Gonzales – Career FSO November 16, 2017 February 8, 2018 February 4, 2022[9]
Maria E. Brewer – Career FSO December 18, 2021 March 10, 2022 April 12, 2024
Keisha Toms Boutaleb – Career FSO Chargé d'affaires ad interim April 12, 2024 August 13, 2024
Thomas Hines – Career FSO August 13, 2024 Incumbent

Notes

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  1. ^ "Chargé d'Affaires A.I. Thomas Hines Chargé d'Affaires A.I. Thomas Hines". 13 August 2024.
  2. ^ a b c 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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