According to a study conducted by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), it is not only the three major conflicts (Ukraine, the Middle East, and Sudan) that concern the international community but also 56 other conflicts that are currently ongoing.
In fact, according to the IEP, the number of wars raging on the planet is the highest recorded since World War II ended.
“Our world is spinning out of control, armed conflicts are raging and multiplying, and there is no end in sight,” admitted Secretary General Antonio Guterres. But where does Greece rank in terms of the Global Peace Index?
How to measure peace
The Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) produces the annual Global Peace Index (GPI). The GPI measures the level of “peacefulness” of 163 independent countries and territories, covering 99.7 percent of the world’s population, based on 23 sub-indicators.
The independent organization, which advises the World Bank, the OECD and the UN, among others, compiles the GPI by analyzing qualitative and quantitative data in three key areas: The level of social safety and security, the level of ongoing domestic and international conflict, and the level of militarization.
Where does Greece rank on the Global Peace Index?
According to the Global Peace Index, Iceland remains the most peaceful country in the world, a position it has held since 2008. In second place is Ireland. In third place is Austria, a nation with a long tradition of neutrality. New Zealand and Singapore complete the top five. These are countries that have been at the top of the World Peace Index for 16 years.
On the other hand, the situation is getting worse for the countries at the lowest end of the ranking. Yemen has fallen to the bottom for the first time, followed by Sudan, South Sudan, Afghanistan, and Ukraine.
Greece, along with the United Arab Emirates and Nicaragua, ranks 40th in the world, with a significant increase in the Peace Index.
Europe remains peaceful
Europe is the world’s most peaceful region, containing eight of the 10 most peaceful countries. The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region continues to be the least peaceful region in the world.
North America experienced the greatest deterioration in the average of all regions. Both Canada and the United States experienced significant declines in peace. Despite this deterioration, however, North America remains the third most peaceful region in the world after Europe and the Asia-Pacific area.
The global economic impact of armed violence in the year 2023 will be $19.1 trillion, or $2,380 per person. This is an increase of $158 billion, largely due to a 20 percent increase in GDP losses as a result of conflict.
Spending on peacebuilding and peacekeeping amounted to $49.6 billion. This is less than 0.6 percent of total military spending.