78 countries engaged in conflict: World least peaceful since World War II, says report
[Editor's Note: Follow the KT live blog for live updates on the Israel-Iran conflict.]
There are currently 59 active state-based conflicts, the most since the end of WWII and three more than the previous year, according to a new study.
'Global peacefulness continues to decline and many of the leading factors that precede major conflicts are higher than they have been since the end of WWII. More countries are increasing their levels of militarisation against the backdrop of rising geopolitical tensions, increasing conflict, the breakup of traditional alliances and rising economic uncertainty, according to Global Peace Index, released by Institute for Economics & Peace.
The study noted that there are currently 59 active state-based conflicts, the most since the end of WWII and three more than the previous year.
Some of the major cross-border disputes are Russia-Ukraine, Israel-Palestine, US-Russia, China-US, Iran-US, Israel-Syria, Armenia-Azerbaijan, India-Pakistan, EU-Russia, UK-Russia, US-Venezuela, Yemen-Saudi Arabia, Turkiye-USA, North Korea-US, Germany-Russia, China-Taiwan and many African countries.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
The attacks between Israel and Iran is the latest military conflict which has shaken global peace. Israel launched an attack on Iran on Friday, June 13, killing its senior military leadership and also targeted military and nuclear installations.
In addition, Ukraine-Russia is another major military conflict which involves multiple countries.
78 countries engaged in conflicts
The study ranks 163 independent states and territories according to their level of peacefulness, covering 99.7 per cent of the world's population.
It said conflicts are also becoming more internationalised, making solutions more difficult as 78 countries are engaged in a conflict beyond their borders, blaming geopolitical fragmentation, increasing major power competition, and the rise in influence of middle level powers, who are becoming more active within their regions.
Importantly, it added that the almost two-decade-long trend of falling militarisation has also reversed, with 106 countries having deteriorated in the militarisation domain in the past two years.
'Additionally, the successful resolution of conflicts is lower than at any point in the last 50 years. Conflicts that ended in a decisive victory fell from 49 per cent in the 1970s to nine per cent in the 2010s, while conflicts that ended through peace agreements fell from 23 per cent to four per cent over the same period,' said the 19th edition of the Global Peace Index.
Most and least peaceful countries
This year's results revealed that the level of global peacefulness deteriorated by 0.36 per cent, with 74 countries improving and 87 deteriorating.
Iceland remains the most peaceful country in the world, a position it has held since 2008. It is joined at the top of the index by Ireland, Austria, New Zealand and Switzerland.
Russia, for the first time, is the least peaceful country in the world, followed by Ukraine, Sudan, Congo and Yemen.
Regionally, Western and Central Europe is the most peaceful in the world while the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region remains the world's least peaceful region.
South Asia is the second least peaceful region as its ranking deteriorated primarily due to repressive measures in Bangladesh under the previous government, and heightened cross-border tension between India and Pakistan.
South America was the only region to record an improvement in peacefulness last year as seven of the 11 countries improved.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
2 hours ago
- The National
US attack on Iran could spark 'rat hole of retaliation', UN Secretary General warns
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said on Sunday that the Middle East conflict is at risk of "descending into a rat hole of retaliation after retaliation", after the US strikes on Iran's nuclear sites. Mr Guterres was speaking at an emergency session of the Security Council focused on the expanding Israel-Iran conflict. The war began when Israel launched a "pre-emptive" strike against nuclear and military targets in Iran about 10 days ago. 'We must act immediately and decisively to halt the fighting and return to serious sustained negotiations on the Iran nuclear programme,' he added. He then urged all states to act with reason, restraint and urgency, pleading for all those present at the meeting to not give up on peace. Rafael Grossi, head the the UN's nuclear watchdog, said initial evidence suggested that Iran's Fordow and Natanz nuclear sites had been hit by powerful ground-penetrating missiles, while Isfahan's nuclear facility was hit by cruise missiles. He added that Iran has indicated there has been no increase in radiation levels near the three sites. 'I am ready to travel immediately and to engage with all relevant parties to help ensure the protection of nuclear facilities and the continued peaceful uses of nuclear technology in accordance with the agency's mandate,' Mr Grossi said. He said that the International Atomic Energy Agency was ready to send nuclear safety and security experts to Iran immediately. He warned of the consequences that might be felt as a result of the US strikes should Iran respond militarily. 'Let us not allow the window to close on diplomacy,' Mr Grossi said. The UK and France said that while they continue to agree that Iran must not be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon, they did not take any part in planning or carrying out the US attack on Iran's nuclear sites on Saturday. They also pushed for diplomacy to prevail, and urged Iran not to worsen the situation. China strongly condemned the US strikes. 'The actions of the US violate the UN Charter as well as Iran's sovereignty and territorial integrity,' China's ambassador to the UN Fu Cong said, calling for an immediate ceasefire to prevent an escalation. Russia's ambassador said the already delicate situation in Iran had been significantly aggravated by the US strikes. 'Washington once again shows its complete contempt for the international community and law,' Vasily Nebenzya said. China, Russia and Pakistan have issued a draft resolution calling for an unconditional ceasefire and a push for the protection of civilians affected in and around Iran. Days before the Saturday attack by the US, Iran called on Mr Guterres to invoke Article 99 of the UN Charter as the conflict with Israel continued. The article empowers the secretary general to bring to the Security Council's attention any matter that may threaten international peace and security. 'Failure to act at this pivotal and perilous moment would constitute a profound abdication of the Security Council's responsibilities,' said a letter sent to the UN, seen by The National. The US hit back against those accusations, calling Iran the world's foremost state sponsor of terror. "For 40 years, the Iranian government has called for death to America and death to Israel, and posed a constant menace to the US, and the entire world," US acting deputy ambassador Dorothy Shea said, claiming that a recent IAEA report conclusively showed that Tehran had continued to accelerate its nuclear capabilities. "Iran has long obfuscated its nuclear weapons programme and stonewalled good faith efforts in recent negotiations." Iran condemned the US and Israel's "brutal aggression". "Once again, the world has witnessed the blatant corruption of the US political system … and over the past 10 days, Israel has continued a barbaric assault on the international bodies," said Amir Iravani, Iran's ambassador to the UN. Mr Iravani insisted that Iran was interested only in peaceful nuclear energy. Israel blamed the UN Security Council for failing to check Iran's nuclear programme earlier. Israel has said Iran was within days of gaining a nuclear weapon. "You were silent, you were complicit, you were afraid, you were bystanders," Israeli ambassador to the UN Danny Danon told the council. "The United States acted not just for itself, but for every nation that values freedom over radicalism." He said that Iran's nuclear programme "was not a diplomatic puzzle – it was a loaded gun pointed at the heart of the international system and the stability of the world". The Gulf Co-operation Council, represented by Kuwait, repeated its call for de-escalation. "We call for an immediate cessation of military actions and exercise of maximum restraint, avoiding anything that could lead to a spillover of this conflict," said Faisal Al Enezi, charge d'affaires at Kuwait's mission to the UN. "GCC countries are firmly committed to support all regional and international efforts aiming at defusing this crisis and consolidating security and stability and to preserve the interests of peoples in the region and the world."
Al Etihad
3 hours ago
- Al Etihad
Israeli strikes attack northwest Iran: local media
23 June 2025 02:12 TEHRAN (AFP)Israeli strikes attacked several parts of northwest Iran Sunday, Iranian media reported, as fighting between the two foes raged for the 10th strikes targeted "two locations in the southwestern part of Tabriz" city, capital of the East Azerbaijan province, ISNA news agency reported, quoting Majid Farshi the province's crisis management authority chief. It was not immediately clear what locations were targeted but Farshi said the air-defence systems had been activated to counter the attack. Israel-Iran Conflict Continue full coverage
Al Etihad
5 hours ago
- Al Etihad
UN Security Council meets on Iran
23 June 2025 00:05 UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) The UN Security Council met on Sunday to discuss US strikes on Iran's nuclear sites, and to adopt a resolution calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in the Middle was not immediately clear when it could be put to a vote. A resolution needs at least nine votes in favour and no vetoes by the United States, France, Britain, Russia or China to pass."The bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities by the United States marks a perilous turn in a region that is already reeling," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the Security Council on Sunday. "We now risk descending into a rathole of retaliation after retaliation.""We must act - immediately and decisively - to halt the fighting and return to serious, sustained negotiations on the Iran nuclear programme," Guterres world awaited Iran's response on Sunday after President Donald Trump said the US had "obliterated" Tehran's key nuclear nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi told the Security Council that while craters were visible at Iran's enrichment site buried into a mountain at Fordow, "no one - including the IAEA - is in a position to assess the underground damage."Grossi said entrances to tunnels used for the storage of enriched material appear to have been hit at Iran's sprawling Isfahan nuclear complex, while the fuel enrichment plant at Natanz has been struck again. "Iran has informed the IAEA there has been no increase in off-site radiation levels at all three sites," said Grossi, who heads the International Atomic Energy Agency. Israel-Iran Conflict Continue full coverage
