Profile: Salva Kiir

Salva Kiir Mayardit has still to prove his skills as a politician

Salva Kiir Mayardit has been chosen as successor to Sudan's former rebel leader John Garang, following his death in a helicopter crash.

As deputy leader of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), Mr Kiir had recently been sworn in as vice-president of southern Sudan.

He will now replace Mr Garang as the vice-president of Sudan and president of the south.

Analysts say his nomination by the SPLM signals a clear desire for continuity in the implementation of the peace agreement signed by Garang in January.

The BBC's Alfred Taban in Khartoum says Mr Kiir is extremely popular in the south, because unlike Garang, he is known to favour southern secession, an issue that will be decided in a referendum in six years' time.

Inner circle

Mr Kiir was involved in the early stages of negotiating the peace deal - which ended 21 years of civil war - and is already well-known to the government in Khartoum.

However, he had until now remained in the shadow of Garang, while an important member of his inner circle.

SALVA KIIR First joined southern Sudan rebels in 1960s Became founder member of SPLM in 1983 Previously deputy leader of the SPLM to John Garang Nominated John Garang's successor following his sudden death

Speaking to the BBC, Mr Kiir said he was keen to carry forward Garang's policies for the good of all Sudanese.

He said he was confident of success because the whole leadership of the SPLM was behind him.

Mr Kiir joined the southern rebellion in Sudan in the late 1960s.

By the time President Jaafar Numeiri made peace with the rebels in 1972, Mr Kiir had risen to become a low-ranking officer. With the accord in place he joined the Sudanese army.

In 1983 the southern rebellion was renewed. Garang was sent to quell a mutiny by southern troops, but instead of putting down the rebellion, he joined the mutineers.

Mr Kiir was, with Garang, one of the founders of the SPLM, and rose to lead its military wing.

Tribal support

Unlike his predecessor, Mr Kiir is not an intellectual and is said to be easily bored in long speeches, our correspondent says.

He is considered a quiet man whom analysts say may prove more democratic than Garang.

Mr Kiir is from the same Dinka tribe as Garang, although the two are from different clans.

John Garang was a charismatic leader who kept power close

Given that the Dinka is the biggest tribe in southern Sudan, Mr Kiir should enjoy widespread support in the region.

He is very popular among the SPLM's military wing, says Gill Lusk, editor of Africa Confidential magazine.

Most of their successes in the field are attributed directly to Mr Kiir, who controlled the movement's army.

However he is something of an unknown quantity as a politician, she says, partly because Garang was reluctant to allow rivals to emerge from the ranks.

An attempt to remove Mr Kiir as the movement's army chief of staff almost caused a split in the SPLM in 2004. The trouble was only averted when Garang dropped the idea.

Mr Kiir has a history of negotiating with the Khartoum government - which has said it will back whoever the SPLM nominates.

But our correspondent says his stance on secession will not make his job as vice-president easy.

His challenge will be to keep the SPLM united as he follows in the footsteps of his energetic and charismatic mentor.