ID :
184741
Thu, 05/26/2011 - 22:44
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https://www.oananews.org//node/184741
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Kuwait, Qatar most peaceful Arab countries -- Global Peace Index
UNITED NATIONS, May 26 (KUNA) -- Kuwait and Qatar are the most peaceful countries among Arab and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, according to the 2011 Global Peace Index (GPI) released here on Thursday.
Among the 153 countries listed in the Index only Kuwait and Qatar made it to the top 20 percent of the most peaceful countries. Qatar ranked 12 and Kuwait 29. Further down, the Emirates ranked 33, Oman 41, Saudi Arabia 101 and Bahrain 123.
Other Arab countries listed are Tunisia, ranked 44, Morocco 58, Jordan 64, Egypt 73, Syria 116, Algeria 129, Lebanon 137, Yemen 138, Libya 143, Sudan 151 and Iraq 152.
Iceland was the most peaceful country in the world, ranking first, and Somalia, the worst, ranking last -153.
Most European countries, mainly Nordic, made it to the top 20 percent. Other developed countries were not so peaceful: France was listed 36, South Korea 50, US 82, Israel 145 and Russia 147.
According to the Index, levels of world peace dropped for the third consecutive year due to an increased risk of terrorism and significant unrest in the Middle East and North Africa.
"The fall in this year's index is strongly tied to conflict between citizens and their governments. Nations need to look at new ways of creating stability other than through military force," Steve Killelea, Founder and Executive Chairman of the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) which produces the Index every year, said in a statement.
"We continue to see that the most peaceful nations share specific structures of peace, including well-functioning government, strong business environments, respect for human rights, low levels of corruption, high rates of participation in education and free flow of information" as well as cuts in military budgets, Clyde McConaghy, IEP Board Director, said in the statement.
Among the 153 countries listed in the Index only Kuwait and Qatar made it to the top 20 percent of the most peaceful countries. Qatar ranked 12 and Kuwait 29. Further down, the Emirates ranked 33, Oman 41, Saudi Arabia 101 and Bahrain 123.
Other Arab countries listed are Tunisia, ranked 44, Morocco 58, Jordan 64, Egypt 73, Syria 116, Algeria 129, Lebanon 137, Yemen 138, Libya 143, Sudan 151 and Iraq 152.
Iceland was the most peaceful country in the world, ranking first, and Somalia, the worst, ranking last -153.
Most European countries, mainly Nordic, made it to the top 20 percent. Other developed countries were not so peaceful: France was listed 36, South Korea 50, US 82, Israel 145 and Russia 147.
According to the Index, levels of world peace dropped for the third consecutive year due to an increased risk of terrorism and significant unrest in the Middle East and North Africa.
"The fall in this year's index is strongly tied to conflict between citizens and their governments. Nations need to look at new ways of creating stability other than through military force," Steve Killelea, Founder and Executive Chairman of the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) which produces the Index every year, said in a statement.
"We continue to see that the most peaceful nations share specific structures of peace, including well-functioning government, strong business environments, respect for human rights, low levels of corruption, high rates of participation in education and free flow of information" as well as cuts in military budgets, Clyde McConaghy, IEP Board Director, said in the statement.
