Collapse of a Country: A Diplomat's Memoir of South Sudan

by Nicholas Coghlan

The first Canadian diplomat to be posted to war-torn Sudan, Nicholas Coghlan was a natural choice to lead Canada’s representation in the new Republic of South Sudan soon after the country was founded in 2011. In late 2013, Coghlan and his wife Jenny were in the capital, Juba, when it erupted in gunfire and civil war pitted one half of the army against the other, Vice-President Machar against President Kiir, and the Nuer tribe against the Dinka. This action-focused narrative, grounded by accounts of meetings with key leaders and travels throughout the dangerous, impoverished hinterland of South Sudan, explains what happened in December 2013 and why. In harrowing terms, Collapse of a Country describes the ebb and flow of the war and the humanitarian tragedy that followed, the Coghlans’ scramble to evacuate South-Sudanese Canadians from Juba, and the well-meant but often ill-conceived attempts of the international community to mitigate the misery and bring peace back to a land that has rarely known it. Coghlan’s stark narrative serves as a lesson to politicians, diplomats, aid workers, and practitioners on the breakdown of governance and relationships between ethnic groups, and the often decisive role of international development representatives. Fast-paced and poignant, Collapse of a Country gives an insider’s glimpse into the chaos, violence, and ethnic conflicts that emerged out of a civil war that has been largely ignored by the West.

Genres: Africa, History, Biography, South Sudan, Nonfiction, Politics

304 pages, Hardcover

Published September 4, 2017

Reviews

[Colton Brydges · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fantastic insight into life in the Canadian foreign service, and the chaos of the early years of South Sudan's independence.

There are a ton of names, and the book does take on an anecdotal character rather than a cohesive narrative at times (granted it is a memoir). I also would've welcomed more introspection at the conclusion on how the author saw his role in South Sudan, and his perpsective on the country's future. The book is peppered with little moments of humanity and emotion, and could've done with more beyond the mere recounting of events.

That said, a truly fascinating insider account of South Sudan, the diplomatic community in Juba, the Canadian foreign service, and the flashpoint of a conflict that killed thousands and displaced millions.

A must read for aspiring Canadian diplomats, followers of African politics, or international affairs junkies.

[Felix · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although perhaps less organised than some other memoirs that I've read previously, Coghlan has a great deal of authentic experiences to share. He was there at the heart of the post-independence crisis in South Sudan, and even met a number of times with Salva Kiir and Riek Machar.

It's difficult to choose an appropriate comparison to make with this book. Nominally treading similar ground to Shake Hands with the Devil (Romeo Dallaire even makes a brief appearance), this is nevertheless a very different book. The chaos of South Sudan's recent ethnic conflicts are of a similar nature to the conflicts of Rwanda, but not the same, and they never escalated to quite the same level of destructiveness.

Additionally, Coghlan's vantage point as Canadian ambassador is also different, and the reader's mileage with this will vary. That said, for anyone looking for insight into diplomatic life in South Sudan, you could hardly find a better book. My only frustration in this area, was the Canadian government's decision to intermittently withdraw the author from the country. For some of the most pivotal moments of the conflict, Coghlan was left observing events from Nairobi.

[Matt Gosney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am glad I read this, I am going to South Sudan as a humanitarian very soon and while as an ambassador, I really question where his head is - he continues to maintain he represents humanitarians, it was a good read. Will probably read it again, it can like many ethnic based squabbles, there are many things you can miss. It meanders along for the first 150 pages and then gets like wow afterwards. Well done on an interesting read, if it holds true, I hope I get to meet more people like you on the trail. Enjoy retirement Mr Coghlan.

[Sasha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read about half and didn't finish. While I'm very interested in understanding the recent conflict in South Sudan, I couldn't really get through hearing it from this guy. He complains about his staff. He complains about being appointed ambassador (loses out on overtime pay! Oh, sweetie!). He makes sweeping generalizations about the nature of South Sudanese people. I get -- he's been there and I haven't; he's seen things I have been sheltered from. And of course, Coghlan did some amazing work to help Canadian citizens in South Sudan reach safety when the conflict intensified. But still. This book is not for me.