Gideon Gatpan

Gideon is a two-term Member of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA 4 and 5). He is currently the Chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture, Tourism, and Natural Resources of EALA, and a member of the Cross-Border Trade on Agroecological Produce Advisory Committee. A former Chairperson of the East African Community (EAC) Inter-Parliamentary Games (IPG) Joint Planning Committee (JPC), a former member of the EALA Commission (2020-2022), Committee on Communication, Trade and Investment, and a two-term member of the Committee on Regional Affairs and Conflict Resolution. In EALA, Gideon has made significant contributions to legislation, including moving a motion urging the Partner States of the EAC to prohibit the manufacture, importation, sale, and use of cosmetic products containing hydroquinone; the mover of the EAC Single-Use Plastic Bill, 2025; and the EAC Agroecology Bill, 2026.
Gideon formerly served as a State Minister of Information and Communication and a Commissioner of Mayendit County in Unity State, Republic of South Sudan. In the humanitarian sector, Gideon has served in various capacities, including Country Director for the Relief Organization for South Sudan (ROSS), 2014-216; Program Manager of the Carter Center South Sudan Trachoma Control Program; GIS Database Manager for the Carter Center, GIS Database Manager for the United Nations Children's Fund, and Water Administrator for Relief and Rehabilitation for South Sudan (RASS).
Gideon holds a Bachelor's Degree in Development Studies from Bugema University in Kampala, Uganda, and a Master's Degree in Governance from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Nairobi, Kenya. Gideon is currently pursuing a PhD in International Relations at the United States International University-Africa, Nairobi, Kenya, with a specialization in foreign policy and diplomacy. Areas of interest include exile diplomacy, rebel diplomacy, regional integration, food systems diplomacy, parliamentary diplomacy, humanitarian diplomacy, human rights diplomacy, counter diplomacy, governance, conflict resolution, and peace and security.