Salva Kiir Mayardit (born 1951) is the first and only President of South Sudan, serving since the country gained independence in July 2011. A veteran liberation fighter, Kiir is a founding member of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) and rose through its military ranks during decades of war with Sudan. He assumed national leadership in 2005 after the death of SPLM/A leader Dr. John Garang, becoming President of the autonomous Government of Southern Sudan before leading the new nation at independence. Kiir’s presidency has been overwhelmingly shaped by conflict and fragile state-building. In December 2013, political rivalry within the SPLM—most notably with his former deputy Riek Machar—degenerated into a devastating civil war along ethnic and political lines. The conflict, which officially ended in 2018 with a revitalized peace agreement, killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions. Since then, Kiir has presided over a tenuous peace process, marked by power-sharing arrangements, delayed reforms, and persistent insecurity. Internationally, he is also known for his signature black cowboy hat, a gift from former U.S. President George W. Bush, which has become an enduring symbol of his rule.