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]