Sudan ranks 157 in global peace index, South Sudan at 160
August 20, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – The 2014 Global Peace Index (GPI) created by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) gave a ranking of 157 and 160 to Sudan and South Sudan respectively out of 162 countries.
The two countries shared low ratings along with Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria.
GPI, which was first released in 2007, measures the degree of peacefulness of countries around the world using three broad themes: the level of safety and security in society; the extent of domestic or international conflict; and the degree of militarization.
The index was first released in 2007 and has been released yearly ever since. It ranks the 162 countries around the world according to their level of peace in consultation with an international panel of peace experts, from peace institutes to think tanks, with data collected and collated by the Economist Intelligence Unit.
The IEP asserted in its findings that last year “was marked by heightened tensions in the Ukraine, the ongoing conflict in Syria, civil war in South Sudan and a broadening and increased intensity of terrorist activity in many countries including Afghanistan, Iraq, the Philippines and Libya”.
“These factors have contributed to the world becoming slightly less peaceful, continuing the global slide in peacefulness which has now been in effect for the last seven years”.
According to the report, “South Sudan experienced the largest drop in the Index this year falling from 145th to 160th and ranking as the third least peaceful country”. This resulted from the armed internal conflict that broke out late last year.
(ST)