Morocco fell ten places in the latest edition of the Global Peace Index (GPI) ranking for 2023.
The GPI, compiled by the Institute for Economics and Peace, analyzes 163 countries worldwide, measuring their levels of peace. The report reveals a global decrease in the average index score, accompanied by a shift in the epicenter of conflicts.
Morocco now stands at the 84th position in the global rankings, indicating a decline in its overall peace ranking.
The country obtained a score of 2.02 out of 5, with a lower score representing better peace performance. The assessment encompasses various factors, including local and international conflicts, societal safety, militarization, and the economic cost of violence.
In the subindexes, Morocco scored 1.9 for conflicts, 2.2 for societal safety, and 1.6 for militarization. Regarding the economic impact of violence, the country ranked 80th, with violence accounting for approximately 7% of its GDP.
The Institute for Economics and Peace, based in Sydney, Australia, noted that the coastal region of West Africa has emerged as the most peaceful area since the report’s inception in 2008.
Countries in Africa have shown an average improvement of 5% over the past 14 years. The coastal stretch from Morocco to Ghana reported no terrorism-related deaths in 2022, distinguishing it from neighboring Sahel countries.
The report also highlighted a shift in the distribution of global conflict, with significant conflicts diminishing in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and South Asia.
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Despite the MENA region experiencing the largest improvements in peace globally since 2016, it remains the least peaceful region overall. The institute emphasized the shift of the terrorism epicenter from MENA to sub-Saharan Africa, particularly the Sahel.
Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region witnessed intensifying conflicts, suggesting a slight relocation of conflict zones.
On a regional scale, Morocco ranked seventh in the Arab region, following Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Tunisia. On the North African level, Morocco secured the second position, behind Tunisia.
The Global Peace Index relies on approximately twenty indicators to gauge peace levels worldwide. The indicators encompass dimensions such as societal security, ongoing national and international conflicts, and the extent of militarization.
