When an ambassador presents his letters of credence, it is usually to the President of the host country. Today, when the new U.S. Ambassador Bryan Hunt presented his letters of credence, the U.S. Embassy website reported that he presented them to the Government of Sierra Leone. This was a departure from normal diplomatic protocol.  Listen to what the letter of credence is all about and how it is supposed to be presented: “‘A letter of credence (French: Lettre de créance) is a formal diplomatic letter that designates a diplomat as ambassador to another sovereign state. (Photo: SLPP regime’s bullets that killed Sierra Leoneans on September 11 protest).

“Commonly known as diplomatic credentials, the letter is addressed from one head of state to another, asking them to give credence (French: créance) to the ambassador’s claim of speaking for their country. The letter is presented personally by the ambassador-designate to the receiving head of state in a formal ceremony, marking the beginning of the ambassadorship.” Wikipedia.

In all announcements made about the presentation of credentials, it is always to the receiving head of state. For the US Embassy to report that their ambassador presented his letters of credence to the Government of Sierra Leone has left a lot of tongues wagging. Why was the head of state not mentioned as is the usual protocol? A Sierra Leonean, Mr. Hadi Bah was quick to pick up the diplomatic anomaly. He enquired: “Anyone else pay any attention to the wording of this statement?

The ambassador’s credentials were presented to the “government of Sierra Leone” and not to President Bio.” Others on the page quickly took up the issue too. Diplomatic credentials are usually announced as to have been presented to the host President or head of state. The president’s name is always mentioned. Today, however, we saw something different. The letters of credence were presented to the Government of Sierra Leone.

The conclusion made by contributors was that the U.S. does not really recognize Maada Bio as President of Sierra Leone. So far, no member of the embassy has refuted the conclusions being drawn by Sierra Leoneans. It was also observed that the incoming ambassador failed to congratulate Bio for “winning the presidential elections. That was another big diplomatic snub. At all costs, since the elections had been held barely three months ago, the new ambassador would have definitely congratulated President Maada Bio if it was recognized that he had won.

It must be recalled that the former ambassador, His Excellency David Reimer, did tell Radio Democracy 98.1 that the change of ambassadors would not affect the US stance that the recent Sierra Leone elections lacked transparency and credibility or bring any change to the sanctions imposed on the SLPP Government, including the suspension of the MCC Compact Grant worth over US $ 400 million. SLPP supporters were deceiving themselves that the arrival of a new ambassador would change everything. From what has been observed so far, it is clear that it is Ambassador Reimer who is right. The US still does not recognize President Bio.

Publisher and Chief Executive Officer KABS KANU