Salva Kiir Mayardit

Salva Kiir Mayardit is a South Sudanese politician who has served as the inaugural President of South Sudan since the country's independence in 2011. A member of the Dinka ethnic group, he was a prominent leader in the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) during the Second Sudanese Civil War. Following the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, he served as the President of the Government of Southern Sudan and First Vice President of Sudan. His presidency has been marked by efforts toward national reconstruction, border conflicts with Sudan, and significant internal political and ethnic challenges.