Riek Machar

== Political life ==
In February 2020, Machar was re-sworn in as first vice president following a revitalised peace agreement with [[Salva Kiir]], the current President of South Sudan. He is also the head of the rebel faction known as [[SPLM-IO]] (Sudan People's Liberation Movement-In Opposition) that was founded in 2014 following the 2013 war outbreak and has been historically in opposition to Kiir. Between April and July 2016 Machar served as the First Vice President of South Sudan. He is designated to be the First Vice President according to the new "revitalized" peace agreement signed in September 2018. Dr. Riek Machar will take up the post of First Vice President when the new unity government is formed, initially in February 2019, but later delayed until February 2020.<ref>{{cite web|author=Jon Temin |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/11/11/south-sudan-peace-agreement-delay-unity-government/ |title=South Sudan's Unity Government Is Delayed by 100 Days. What's Next? |publisher=Foreignpolicy.com |date=2019-11-11 |access-date=2020-04-05}}</ref><ref name="sudantribune">{{cite web|url=https://sudantribune.com/spip.php?article69017|title=President Kiir appoint Machar FVP ahead of South Sudan new cabinet - Sudan Tribune: Plural news and views on Sudan|website=sudantribune.com|date=17 May 2011 }}</ref><ref name="theeastafrican.co.ke">{{cite web|url=https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/ea/Riek-Machar-appointed-vice-president/4552908-5464888-5j0q7rz/index.html|title=Salva Kiir appoints Machar as First Vice President|website=The East African|date=5 July 2020 }}</ref>

Machar obtained a PhD in strategic planning in 1984 and then joined the rebel [[Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army]] (SPLM/A) during the [[Second Sudanese Civil War]] (1983–2005). Machar fell out with the SPLM/A leader [[John Garang]] in 1991 and formed a splinter group, the [[SPLM/A-Nasir]]. In 1997, he made a treaty with the Government of Sudan and became head of the government-backed [[South Sudan Defense Force]] (SSDF). In 2000 he left the SSDF and formed a new militia, the [[Sudan People's Defense Forces/Democratic Front]] (SPDF), and in 2002 rejoined the SPLA as a senior commander. After the death of [[John Garang]] in July 2005, Machar became vice-president of the autonomous Southern Sudan. He became vice-president of South Sudan on 9 July 2011 when the country became independent, but was dismissed from office by President [[Salva Kiir Mayardit]] on 23 July 2016. Machar was re-appointed as First Vice-president of South Sudan on 22 February 2020 as part of the Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/south-sudan-new-government-takes-shape-as-vps-sworn-in/1741960 |title=South Sudan: New government takes shape as VPs sworn in |publisher=Aa.com.tr |date=2020-02-22 |access-date=2020-04-05}}</ref>