S. Sudan president appoints Gordon Buay ambassador

September 21, 2014 (JUBA) – South Sudanese president Salva Kiir has appointed former rebel spokesman Gordon Buay Malek as an ambassador.

His appointment pushes the total of ambassadors in the country to 96, the majority of whom remain at the headquarters of the ministry of foreign affairs and international cooperation.

Malek appointment was made by presidential order and announced on the state-owned South Sudan Television (SSTV) on 18 September.

Born on 28 November 1975, Malek obtained law degree at Canada’s Carleton University in 2004 and a doctorate at Saskatchewan College of Law in 2011.

Prior to his appointment, Malek served as a member of the integration committee for an alliance of armed groups that responded to a presidential amnesty in 2012 after agreeing to lay down their arms and abandon rebellion in several parts of the country, including Unity, Upper Nile and Jonglei states.

He also served the secretary-general of the South Sudan Democratic Front (SSDF) and chairman of its Canadian branch from 2002 to 2007, joining the National Census Commission in 2008.

(ST)