Vice President of South Sudan

Vice President of South Sudan is the second-highest executive position in the national government of the Republic of South Sudan. The office was established upon the country's independence from the Republic of the Sudan in 2011, as outlined in the Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan, 2011. The Vice President is appointed by the President of South Sudan and serves as a principal deputy, assuming presidential duties during the president's absence or incapacity. The role has been central to the nation's complex power-sharing arrangements, particularly following the Second Sudanese Civil War and subsequent internal conflicts like the South Sudanese Civil War.

History

The office's origins are intertwined with the formation of the Government of Southern Sudan following the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed in Nairobi. This agreement ended the Second Sudanese Civil War and established the Southern Sudan Autonomous Region, with Salva Kiir Mayardit as President and Riek Machar as Vice President. Upon independence in 2011, this structure was carried over into the sovereign state, with Machar becoming the first Vice President. The position's significance was reshaped by the 2013 Juba massacre and the ensuing South Sudanese Civil War, leading to the 2015 Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan and the 2018 Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan, which created multiple vice-presidential positions to accommodate rival factions like the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition and the South Sudan Opposition Alliance.

Appointment and term

The Vice President is appointed by the President of South Sudan and can be dismissed at the president's discretion, as per the Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan, 2011 and its subsequent revisions. There are no constitutional term limits for the office, tying its tenure directly to that of the appointing president. The appointment process is a critical component of the country's political settlements, often used to integrate leaders from various ethnic groups and political movements, such as the Sudan People's Liberation Movement and the National Congress Party. The 2018 peace deal institutionalized this by mandating several vice presidents representing key signatories to the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan.

Powers and duties

Constitutional powers are largely derived from delegation by the President of South Sudan, who may assign specific executive functions. The Vice President is a member of the Council of Ministers and typically chairs important committees or initiatives, such as those related to Economic Community of Central African States affairs or national reconciliation. During periods of presidential vacancy, the Vice President assumes the role of Acting President. The office also plays a ceremonial role in state functions and represents the nation internationally, often engaging with bodies like the African Union and the United Nations Mission in South Sudan. The expansion to multiple vice presidents in 2020 allocated sectoral responsibilities, such as overseeing the Service cluster or the Infrastructure cluster.

List of vice presidents

The first Vice President was Riek Machar, who served from independence in 2011 until his dismissal in 2013, which triggered the South Sudanese Civil War. He was succeeded by James Wani Igga, who has remained in office since August 2013. The 2016 formation of the Transitional Government of National Unity saw the return of Riek Machar as First Vice President, alongside Igga. Following the 2018 peace agreement, the government was expanded to include five vice presidents: Riek Machar (First Vice President), James Wani Igga, Taban Deng Gai, Rebecca Nyandeng De Mabior, and Hussein Abdelbagi Akol Agany. This arrangement was modified in 2020, consolidating the positions into four, reflecting the complex power-sharing among the Sudan People's Liberation Movement, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition, and other parties.

See also

* President of South Sudan * Politics of South Sudan * Council of Ministers of South Sudan * Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan, 2011 * Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan * South Sudanese Civil War

Category:Vice presidents of South Sudan Category:Government of South Sudan