Loading AI tools
Riek Gai Kok is a South Sudanese politician. He is a Lou Nuer, hailing from Chieng Man-nyang/Diang-nyang Akoba.[1][2] A veteran politician, he has been a member of parliament in both Sudan and South Sudan.[3] As of 2013, he served as Minister of Health of South Sudan.[3]
As of the early 1990s, Riek Gai Kok served as head of the Relief Association of Southern Sudan, the humanitarian aid wing of the SPLA-Nasir.[4][5] As of 1997-1998 he served as spokesperson of the South Sudan Independence Movement/Army (SSIM/A).[6] As the late 1990s he served as wali (governor) of Jonglei state.[6][7][8]
In 2002 he was named as chairman of the Southern States Coordination Council by president Omar al-Bashir.[9][10] As SSCC chairman, Riek Gai Kok was charged with administering the states of Southern Sudan.[11] The appointment followed the defection of Riek Machar to the rebel side.[12] As of 2002, Riek Gai Kok was also serving as Minister of Animal Resources in the Sudanese government.[13] At the time Riek Gai Kok was a leader of the South Sudan Defence Forces. Towards the end of the Second Sudanese Civil War he and a group of his followers broke with the SSDF leader Gordon Kong.[1]
Riek Gai Kok was also a high-ranking member of the National Congress Party.[2][14] He was the chairman of the Southern Sector of the NCP.[15] He also served as advisor to the Sudanese president.[16] On July 7, 2011, two days before the independence of South Sudan, Riek Gai Kok and other Southern NCP leaders held a press conference and declared their entry into the Sudan People's Liberation Movement.[17]
In August 2013 Riek Gai Kok was named Minister of Health in the government of South Sudan.[3]
Wikiwand in your browser!
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.
Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.
