For the ninth year in a row, the world has become less peaceful, according to the Institute for Economics and Peace think tank’s Global Peace Index. While Western media attention is heavily focused on the war in Ukraine, last year’s Tigray conflict in Ethiopia claimed even more deaths.
Since the genocide in Rwanda, there have not been as many deaths from armed conflict as in the past year. According to the Global Peace Index, 238,000 people worldwide died as a result of hostilities last year. In 1994 alone, the genocide in Rwanda cost the lives of 800,000 people.
In the Global Peace Index, the IEP experts assess the level of peace in 163 countries around the world using 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators. From this, they rank countries from the most peaceful to the least peaceful. Overall, the world became less peaceful for the ninth consecutive year, according to the index.
Tigray conflict claimed more than 100,000 deaths
By far the conflict that claimed the most victims last year was the Tigray conflict in Ethiopia. According to the report, more than 100,000 people were killed in fighting there by 2022. At least twice as many died from disease and starvation as a result of clashes between Ethiopian and Eritrean government forces and Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) rebels. In second place is the Russian offensive war in Ukraine. According to the IEP, at least 82,000 people died there last year.
In addition to the number of deaths from internal and international conflict, the indicators considered in the Global Peace Index also include the number of homicides, the degree of militarization, arms exports, terrorism, political instability and the number of prisoners.
The experts also estimate the economic costs of armed conflict. They amounted to 17.5 trillion dollars (about 16 trillion euros) last year. This corresponds to 13 percent of the global gross domestic product.
Austria ranks fifth among the most peaceful countries
According to the index, Iceland, Denmark and Ireland are the three most peaceful countries in the world. Austria follows in fifth place. At the bottom are Afghanistan, Yemen and Syria.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
