The Sultanate of Oman has climbed to the 37th position in the 2024 Global Peace Index (GPI), marking a significant improvement in its global standing. Released last week, this year's GPI, the 18th edition produced by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP), ranks 163 nations and territories based on their level of peacefulness, encompassing 99.7 per cent of the world's population. Oman’s advancement in the rankings underscores its ongoing efforts to foster peace and stability within its borders.
Oman’s overall score of 1.761 reflects a +4 change from the previous year, positioning it as the 3rd most peaceful country in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, trailing only behind Kuwait (1.622, 25th globally) and Qatar (1.656, 29th globally). This improvement is particularly commendable given the region's historical challenges with peace and stability. The UAE came 4th with a score 1.897 and 53rd globally, while Jordan came 5th with a score of 1.998 and ranks 67th worldwide.
The GPI evaluates peace through 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators across three domains: societal safety and security, ongoing domestic and international conflict, and militarisation. Oman scored 1.504 in the ongoing domestic and international conflict domain, indicating a high level of peace, with 1.0 being the most peaceful. In the societal safety and security domain, Oman scored 1.745, reflecting a robust societal framework that supports safety and security. Meanwhile, the militarisation domain saw a score of 2.176.
Oman's rise in the GPI rankings is a continuation of its upward trajectory observed last year, where it ascended 16 places to secure the 48th position. This consistent improvement reflects Oman’s dedicated efforts towards enhancing internal stability and promoting a peaceful society.
The Index says the MENA remains the least peaceful region for the ninth consecutive year. It recorded a small deterioration in peacefulness over the past year after several years of improvements, with the average GPI score deteriorating by 0.25 per cent. Four of the ten least peaceful countries on the 2024 GPI are in the MENA region.
The Global Peace Index remains a crucial tool for understanding the dynamics of peace worldwide. With its comprehensive data-driven analysis, the GPI provides valuable insights into the economic value of peace and the strategies needed to develop peaceful societies.
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