Study: economic slowdown makes world less safe

03/06/2009

The global economic crisis is one reason the world is a less peaceful place today than it was a year ago, according to a new study.

(AAP, Telegraph, Cyprus Mail - 03/06/09; Bloomberg, FT, Guardian, Newsweek, Makfax, BNR, Mediapool, Institute for Economics and Peace - 02/06/09)

Romania ranked 31st on the GPI. [GPI]

The escalation of violence in some countries, the rapid increase in fuel and food prices in early 2008 and the global economic slowdown in the latter part of the year have made the world "slightly less peaceful", according to a report released Tuesday (June 2nd).

"Rapidly rising unemployment, pay freezes and falls in the value of house prices, savings and pensions is causing popular resentment in many countries, with political repercussions," according to the third annual Global Peace Index (GPI).

The study, published by the Institute for Economics and Peace, a think-tank based in Australia, was prepared in co-operation with the Economist Intelligence Unit. It ranks 144 countries on the basis of 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators measuring safety and security in society. Among them are internal and external conflicts, respect for human rights, number of murders and people in jail, arms trade, and degrees of democracy.

The GPI ranked New Zealand as the country most at peace. Austria, Japan, Canada and Slovenia all placed on the top ten. Iraq took last place, again, right below Afghanistan and Somalia.

The report singled out Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) as the world's "top riser". The Balkan nation climbed 23 places to the 50th position in the 2009 GPI, the report said, citing "a notable fall in the number of displaced people" from the 1992-1995 conflict in the country. Other contributing factors included a drop in the number of police officers, reduced military expenditures and a lower number of deaths resulting from internal conflict.

Romania, ranked 31st, fell seven spots from the 2008 index, but still scored highest among Southeast European (SEE) countries.

Greece slid eight spots to 57th place in this year's index.

"Greece's score for political instability rose, reflecting the travails of the scandal-hit centre-right New Democracy party," the report explained, citing also the riots late last year following the death of a 15‑year-old boy who was shot by a police officer.

Macedonia (88th) and Turkey (121st) slipped in the rankings by one and five places, respectively, while all other SEE countries were placed higher than last year.

Cyprus was ranked 48th, followed by Croatia at 49th. Bulgaria took the 56th position, ahead of Albania (76th) and Serbia (78th). Montenegro, which was not included in the 2008 index of 140 nations, ranked 91st this year.

Peaceful societies are characterised as countries with well functioning governments, good relations with regional neighbours, low levels of corruption, high enrolment rates in primary education, freedom of the press and respect for human rights, the report explained.

In addition, such societies do not see their cultures as superior to those of others, and place a high value on tolerance, believe in free speech and respect human rights.

"People need to understand the structure and attitudes that create peace and start to build them into their societies," the daily Cyprus Mail quoted Steve Killelea, businessman and founder of the GPI, as saying. "Peace lies at the centre of being able to manage the many and varied challenges facing humanity, simply because peace creates the optimum environment in which the other activities that contribute to human growth can take place."

According to Killelea, peace has an economic value, as well. He says an estimated 9% of the world's economic output is lost as a result of internal and external conflicts.