Riek Gai Kok is a South Sudanese politician. He is a Lou Nuer, hailing from Chieng Man-nyang/Diang-nyang Akoba.Small Arms Survey, Geneva. Small Arms Survey 2010 Gangs, Groups, and Guns. Cambridge Univ Pr, 2010. p. 288 A veteran politician, he has been a member of parliament in both Sudan and South Sudan.Al-Ahram. Kiir’s delicate game As of 2013, he served as Minister of Health of South Sudan. He was appointed as the governor of Jonglei State in March 2025.
1990s 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.Rone, Jemera. Civilian Devastation: Abuses by All Parties in the War in Southern Sudan. New York: Human Rights Watch, 1994. p. 184Human Rights Watch. Famine in Sudan, 1998: The Human Rights Causes. New York: Human Rights Watch, 1999. p. 80 As of 1997-1998 he served as spokesperson of the South Sudan Independence Movement/Army (SSIM/A).IRIN. 'SUDAN: A future without War?' - IRIN In-Depth on the prospects of peace in Sudan - Who is who As the late 1990s he served as wali (governor) of Jonglei state.Sudan Update, Vol. 9–10. Committee for Peace and Reconstruction in Sudan, 1998. p. 53Sudan Focus, Vol. 4–6. Focus International, 1997. p. 118
2000s In 2002 he was named as chairman of the Southern States Coordination Council by president Omar al-Bashir.Rone, Jemera. Sudan, Oil and Human Rights. 2003. p. 338Horn of Africa Bulletin, Vol. 15. Life & Peace Institute, 2003. p. 34 As SSCC chairman, Riek Gai Kok was charged with administering the states of Southern Sudan.I.O.N., Eds. 1024–1069. Indian Ocean Information and Documentation Bank, 2003. p. 70 The appointment followed the defection of Riek Machar to the rebel side.Press Digest, Vol. 10, Eds. 1–26. Anasir Publishers, 2003. p. 35 As of 2002, Riek Gai Kok was also serving as Minister of Animal Resources in the Sudanese government.Marchés tropicaux et méditerranéens, Eds. 2956–2970. 2002. p. 1862 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.
Riek Gai Kok was also a high-ranking member of the National Congress Party.Young, John. Sudan People's Liberation Army: Disarmament in Jonglei and Its Implications. Pretoria: Institute for Security Studies, 2007. p. 4Otayek, René, and Benjamin F. Soares. Islam, état et société en Afrique. Paris: Karthala, 2009. p. 398 He was the chairman of the Southern Sector of the NCP.IGIHE. South Sudan’s Kiir names new Cabinet He also served as advisor to the Sudanese president.Sudan News Agency. Dr. Riek Gai Lauds Role of President Al-Bashir in Implementation of Comprehensive Peace Agreement 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.SudanTribune. NCP South Sudan office closes down as officials join SPLM
Post-Independence In August 2013 Riek Gai Kok was named Minister of Health in the government of South Sudan. On March 10, 2025 he was appointed as the new governor of Jonglei state, replacing Mahjoub Biel Turuk.Radio Tamazuj. New Jonglei Governor Riek Gai sworn In
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