Riek Machar

Riek Machar
Name	Riek Machar
Office	First Vice President of South Sudan
Term start	22 February 2020
President	Salva Kiir Mayardit
Predecessor	Taban Deng Gai
Office2	Vice President of South Sudan
Term start2	July 2011
Term end2	July 2013
President2	Salva Kiir Mayardit
Predecessor2	Position established
Successor2	James Wani Igga
Office3	Vice President of Southern Sudan
Term start3	2005
Term end3	2011
President3	Salva Kiir Mayardit
Predecessor3	Position established
Successor3	Position abolished
Birth place	Leer, South Sudan
Party	Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition
Spouse	Angelina Teny
Alma mater	University of Khartoum, University of Bradford

Riek Machar is a prominent South Sudanese politician and former rebel leader who has played a central and often controversial role in the nation's history. A key figure in the long struggle for independence from Sudan, he later became a principal antagonist in the devastating South Sudanese Civil War. His political career has been defined by alternating periods of high office, including serving as First Vice President of South Sudan, and armed opposition, making him one of the most influential and polarizing figures in the modern history of the Greater Upper Nile region.

Early life and education

He was born in Leer, in the heart of Unity State, a region historically inhabited by the Nuer people. He pursued higher education at the prestigious University of Khartoum, where he earned a degree in engineering and became involved in student politics. Furthered his academic qualifications abroad, obtaining a PhD in mechanical engineering from the University of Bradford in the United Kingdom.

Political career

His political ascent began within the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) and its military wing, the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), during the Second Sudanese Civil War. In 1991, he led a major split from the mainstream SPLA under John Garang, forming a breakaway faction that signed a controversial peace deal with the government in Khartoum. This period included a brief tenure as a regional president within the Sudanese administration. He later reconciled with the main movement, and following the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005, he was appointed Vice President of Southern Sudan under Salva Kiir Mayardit.

Role in the South Sudanese Civil War

Tensions with President Salva Kiir Mayardit culminated in his dismissal from the vice presidency in July 2013. This event triggered a political crisis that exploded into full-scale conflict in December 2013, marking the start of the South Sudanese Civil War. He quickly assumed leadership of the main rebel force, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO), which engaged in fierce fighting against the South Sudanese government and its allied militias. The war was characterized by brutal ethnic violence, particularly between the Dinka and Nuer communities, and major battles occurred in towns like Bor, Bentiu, and Malakal.

Peace agreements and vice presidency

His faction was a signatory to multiple, often faltering, peace deals, including the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan in 2015. That agreement briefly reinstated him as First Vice President of South Sudan, but the peace collapsed in July 2016 following violent clashes in Juba. After years of renewed conflict and international pressure, he signed the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan in 2018. This led to his return to Juba and his reappointment as First Vice President of South Sudan in February 2020, within a Transitional Government of National Unity.

International relations and diplomacy

His political and military activities have consistently drawn the attention of the international community. Key mediators in his conflicts with the Government of South Sudan have included the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the African Union, and the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). Relations with neighboring countries have been complex; he has historically had fluctuating ties with the governments of Sudan and Ethiopia, both of which have hosted peace talks. The United States and the European Union have imposed targeted sanctions on individuals from both sides of the conflict.

Personal life and legacy

He is married to Angelina Teny, a fellow politician who has served as Minister of Defence and Veterans Affairs. His legacy is intensely debated; he is viewed by some as a champion of federalism and Nuer interests, while critics hold him responsible for prolonging conflict and contributing to national instability. The Juba massacre of 2013 and other incidents of ethnic violence remain deeply associated with the early phases of the civil war he helped ignite. His continued role in the Transitional Government of National Unity is seen as crucial for the fragile peace process and the future stability of the Republic of South Sudan.

Category:South Sudanese politicians Category:Vice presidents of South Sudan Category:Rebel leaders in South Sudan