DRC, Mexico and Nigeria are particularly vulnerable

The Global Peace Index has ranked Nigeria 148th among 163 independent states and territories, according to their level of peacefulness.

Nigeria retained the 148th spot from last year.

The 2019 edition of the GPI, which is described as the world’s leading measure of global peacefulness, placed Nigeria among the five least peaceful countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Democratic Republic of Congo (155), Central African Republic (157), Somalia (158) and South Sudan (161).

The GPI, which is produced by the Institute for Economics and Peace, measures peacefulness across three domains: safety and security, ongoing conflict, and militarisation. It pointed out that while the world has become less peaceful over the last decade, there had been some notable improvements in peace.

The GPI also analysed the potential long-term impact of climate change on levels of peacefulness. An estimated 971 million people live in areas with “high” or “very high” exposure to climate hazards.

Of this number, 400 million or 41 per cent, reside in countries with already low levels of peacefulness. Climate change can indirectly increase the likelihood of violent conflict through its impacts on resource availability, livelihood security, and migration.

Iceland remained the most peaceful country in the world, a position it had held since 2008. It was joined at the top of the index by New Zealand, Austria, Portugal, and Denmark.

Bhutan has said to have recorded the largest improvement of any country in the top 20, rising 43 places in the last 12 years.

The report read in part, “Eight of the 25 least peaceful countries have 10 per cent or more of their population in areas of high risk to multiple climate hazards, or a total of 103.7 million people.

“The Philippines, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mexico and Nigeria are particularly vulnerable, with 47, 26, 24 and 24 per cent of their populations in areas of high exposure to climate hazards, respectively.

“The impacts of a lack of water has also affected conflict dynamics in Nigeria. Lake Chad, a major source of fishing and farming livelihoods, lost 90 per cent of its surface area in the past 40 years due to climate change and environmental mismanagement.

“Resultant unemployment and related food insecurity contributed to Boko Haram’s successful recruitment of unemployed youths in the area.”