Following the recall of Ambassador Nathaniel Barnes as Liberia’s Ambassador to the United States of America, the President of the Republic of Liberia, Her Excellency Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, has temporarily assigned Ambassador William V.S. Bull, Sr., Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, as Ambassador Ad Hoc to the Liberian Embassy in Washington, D.C., the United States of America, pending the appointment of a new Ambassador.

According to a Foreign Ministry Release, the information has been officially conveyed to the U.S. Government through the Charge d’Affaires, a.i. of the Embassy of the United States of America in Monrovia, when he paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Her Excellency Mrs. Olubanke King-Akerele at her Foreign Ministry office on Wednesday, August 18, 2010.

Foreign Minister King Akerele has also communicated to her United States counterpart, Honorable Hillary Clinton the decision of the Government of Liberia concerning the assignment of Ambassador Bull as Ambassador Ad Hoc.

This is not the first time that an Ambassador Ad Hoc has been assigned to Washington , D.C. . In 2004 the Transitional Government of Liberia assigned an Ambassador Ad Hoc to the Embassy of Liberia in Washington, D.C., pending the nomination of Ambassador Charles A. Minor as the successor to Ambassador William V.S. Bull who ended his tour of duty in 2002.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs categorically denies media report that President Johnson Sirleaf communicated with the Minister of Foreign Affairs to issue a 72-hour ultimatum for Ambassador Bull to take up assignment.

Ambassador Bull is a career Ambassador who has served the Liberian Government in many distinguished positions in the Foreign Service and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He served as an Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Liberia to the United Nations, Ambassador to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Ambassador to United States of America and several Deputy and Assistant Ministerial positions having risen through the ranks of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 1972.