James Wani Igga Maring was nominated as vice-president by the president on Friday and approved by the national parliament yesterday. The new deputy president comes from a background of military and political service for the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement.

1949 - Wani is born in 1949 in Krillo village, Lobonok Payam of western Juba County.

1950s - 1965 - Attends elementary and intermediate schools at Okaru and Tonj.

1972 -1975 - Attends Rumbek Secondary School, and later continues his education at university in Cairo.

1986 - Attends a military training course in Cuba soon after joining SPLA.

1987 - Becomes SPLA Zonal Commander in central Equatoria, and rises into the SPLM/A high command at about the same time.

1994 - Appointed to head a new central finance secretariat after the SPLM/A convention in Chukudum  

2005 - Leads the first SPLM delegation to Juba when the former garrison town is opened to the ex-rebels after the signing of the Naivasha agreement.

2010 - Stands for election to the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly representing Juba North (1) constituency, and wins.

2010-2013 - Serves as speaker of the first elected assembly in South Sudan since the 2005 peace agreement.

2011- Reads out the Declaration of Independence to a huge crowd at the John Garang Mausoleum.

2013 - Approved as vice president of South Sudan one month after the removal of Riek Machar.