Nhial Deng Nhial

On 17 July Kiir finally sacked foreign minister Deng Alor Kuol – after several months of absence without leave - and replaced him with the staunchly-loyal presidential advisor Nhial Deng Nhial – seemingly contrary to the provisions of the existing power-sharing arrangement established in 2015 (AC Vol 59 No 7 Salva's bunker mentality)...

Akol Koor Salva's interior affairs strongman at the National Security Service and Nhial Deng Nhial Salva's chief negotiator at the Addis Ababa talks both hail from Tonj (AC Vol 59 No 6 Salva stalls the peacemakers)...

The government delegation led by Nhial Deng Nhial rumoured to be favoured as Salva's successor by security strongman Akol Koor has to be seen not to be stonewalling...

• Mayiik Ayii Deng: President's Office; Dinka Tonj; cousin Nhial Deng Nhial; relative newcomer; ex-refugee United States; widely travelled as informal envoy...

) Nhial Deng Nhial: Senior Advisor & Presidential Envoy; close Salva ally; ex-Defence Minister; key CPA negotiator with Khartoum later with South Sudanese rebels; law degree; Dinka from Tonj; son of late William Deng Nhial...

Salva Kiir dismissed Nhial Deng Nhial as Foreign Minister in the July 2013 reshuffle that triggered the crisis but armed with veteran SPLA credentials and a doctorate in law from Dundee UK Lieutenant General Nhial is still Juba's chief negotiator in Ethiopia...

Other top appointments are also a balancing act: Parliamentary Speaker James Wani Igga a Bari from Central Equatoria; party Secretary General Pa'gan Amum Okech a Shilluk from Upper Nile; Interior Minister Alison Manani Magaya a Zande from Western Equatoria; and Foreign Minister Nhial Deng Nhial a fellow Dinka from Salva's home state Warrap...

Nhial Deng Nhial...

' Pressure on Khartoum In an interview with Foreign Policy South Sudan's Foreign Minister Nhial Deng Nhial gave a slightly different view claiming that China had actually pressured Khartoum into accepting the oil agreement...

Better known quantities include such trusted (Dinka) veterans as Deng Alor Kuol at Cabinet Affairs Nhial Deng Nhial at Foreign Affairs and the affable discreet government Spokesman Barnaba Marial Benjamin who remains at Information and Broadcasting...

• Lieutenant General (Retired) Nhial Deng Nhial 59 Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation: (ex-Defence and SPLA Affairs) law degree key negotiator with Khartoum; Warrap Greater Bahr el Ghazal (GBG) Dinka Tonj son of assassinated leader William Deng Nhial...