Mayiik Ayii Deng is a South Sudanese politician and a former Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation,[1] He was appointed into the office following Republican decree by the President removing Beatrice Khamisa Wani in September 2021 and was fired in March 2023.[2][3]

Mayiik Ayii Deng
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of South Sudan
In office
September 2021 – 8 March 2023
PresidentSalva Kiir Mayardit
Preceded byBeatrice Wani-Noah
Succeeded byJames Pitia Morgan
Personal details
Born (1971-12-20) 20 December 1971 (age 53)[citation needed]
Wau, former Bhar el Ghazal Province[citation needed]
NationalitySouth Sudanese
Political partySPLM
Alma materSaint Mary's University
Loras College

He had also served as the Minister of presidential affairs in the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (R-TGoNU). Mr. Deng was appointed minister in the Office of the President on 29 April 2016, following the signing of the Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (ARCISS) and the formation of the transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU, a position he held until he was reappointed as Minister of Presidential Affairs in March 2020 and subsequently relieved in June 2020 in that latest position[4]

Mr. Deng participated in the South Sudan peace process in various capacities since independence in 2011. He was part of the SPLM negotiating team in Arusha, Tanzania in 2014 during the negotiation of SPLM Reunification.

Early life and education

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Mr. Mayiik Ayii Deng was born on 20 December 1971 in what was then the Bahr el Ghazal Province in Sudan and now South Sudan.[5]

He has professional training in International Relations and diplomacy. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and History from Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa.[6] and Masters of Arts in Management (IP) from Saint Mary's University in Minneapolis, Minnesota.[7]

Career

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Prior to joining the Office of the President of the Republic of South Sudan as the Minister in the Office of the President, Mr. Deng was an active basketball player. He went to the United States of America in the 1990s under the US High School Basketball scholarship program where he joined Winston – Salem State University in North Carolina while at the same time played in numerous inter-estates basketball competitions. Mr. Deng is also a member of parliament (MP) in the South Sudan Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) representing Tonj North constituency in Warrap State on the SPLM Party List ticket.[8]

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Kiir fires foreign minister". Radio Tamazuj. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  2. ^ Madut, Koch (10 September 2021). "South Sudan' Salva Kiir Fires Foreign Affairs Minister Khamis". TowerPostNews. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  3. ^ "Kiir fires foreign minister". Radio Tamazuj. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  4. ^ Santino, Deng (2 June 2020). "President Salva Kiir relieved Mayiik Ayii and replaced him with Nhial Deng Nhial". City Scrollz. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  5. ^ Joshua, Elvince (10 March 2023). "Who is this man, Mayiik Ayii Deng?". The City Review South Sudan. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  6. ^ "Loras College | Catholic, Liberal Arts | Dubuque, IA". Loras College.
  7. ^ "Saint Mary's University of Minnesota". www.smumn.edu.
  8. ^ "Parliaments of South Sudan". www.gurtong.net.
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