Kenya Surpasses US, Saudi Arabia in Global Peace Rankings
According to a recent ranking by Global Finance Magazine, Kenya is characterized as a country with greater peace compared to both Saudi Arabia and the United States of America.
In the ‘Global Peace Index 2023’ live ranking, Kenya secured the 117th position, placing it two positions ahead of Saudi Arabia.
In contrast, the United States was ranked at 131, over 14 positions lower than Kenya.
The list, created by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), included more than 163 sovereign nations, encompassing 99.7 percent of the global population.
“The ranking, which is based on 23 indicators grouped into three criteria (societal safety and security; extent of ongoing domestic and international conflict; and degree of militarization), shows 84 countries recording improvement and 79 showing deterioration,” read the description in part.
The media source also mentioned that the economic consequences of violence amount to $17.5 trillion when expressed in purchasing-power-parity (PPP) terms, equivalent to 12.9% of the overall global Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“Overall the level of global peacefulness decreased this year by 0.42% according to IEP researchers. That might not seem like much, yet it is worth noting that it is the 13th time in the past 15 years that the average has declined, for an overall reduction of 5% since the annual Global Peace Index was first published in 2008,” added Global Finance.
Yet, the UN Refugee Agency reports a surge in the count of refugees and internally displaced individuals, reaching a staggering 85 million.
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The findings of the report indicate that in 15 countries, 5% of their population is classified as either refugees or internally displaced persons.
The setback in Saudi Arabia marked a departure from their previously steady progress, attributed partially to the nation’s commitment to enhancing safety and security. Analysts suggest that the decline could be linked to Saudi authorities curbing freedom of expression and assembly.
The incidence of terrorism has steadily declined since 2015, experiencing a reduction of more than 12 percent.
Gun violence has been impacting the United States for an extended period, resulting in the loss of more than 40,167 lives in the year 2023 alone. The matter of firearm ownership remains a contentious issue.
On the contrary, Kenya has been contending with terrorism primarily orchestrated by the al-Shabaab militia. However, there has been a gradual decline in such incidents over the past five years. Additionally, instances of internal violence and muggings have consistently diminished.
Kenya Surpasses US, Saudi Arabia in Global Peace Rankings