The Honorable Yolanda Awel Deng has been serving as the Minister for Health of the Government of South Sudan since March 2022. Prior to her current role, Hon. Deng held several key positions within the Government of South Sudan. This includes serving as a Member of Parliament in the Transitional National Legislative Assembly(TNLA)of South Sudan and as the Executive Director of the Southern Sudan Referendum Bureau, where she oversaw the plebiscite that led to the independence of the Republic of South Sudan.

Upon independence, Hon. Deng became the inaugural Clerk of the Upper Legislature of the Republic of South Sudan, the Council of States. Before joining the Government of South Sudan, Hon. Deng consulted for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Japan Centre for Conflict Resolution in the capital of Juba.

Prior to returning to Southern Sudan in 2010, Hon.Deng worked as a clinical psychologist with the Ministry of Health of the State of Saskatchewan in Canada. She had moved to Canada in 2005 on the World University Service of Canada Refugee Scholarship program.

Hon. Deng is a trained psychologist and conflict resolution expert, having earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with Honors in Psychology from the University of Saskatchewan and a Master of Arts degree from the Royal Roads University in Canada. In addition, she has completed numerous trainings in mental health & allied sciences. In partnership with the World Bank(WBG)and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Hon. Deng is leading initiatives to provide life-saving health services to the people of South Sudan.

In recognition of her leadership and dedication to public service, Hon. Deng has received numerous awards, including the Youth Leadership Award, from the Japan Center for Conflict Resolution and Amnesty International’s Human Rights Activist Award. Most recently, Hon. Deng was the Joseph Agyepong Distinguished Public Health Keynote Speaker at the Annual Harvard Africa Health Conference 2024