MOGADISHU — Somalia has narrowly avoided being ranked among the world’s 10 least peaceful countries in the 2026 Global Peace Index (GPI), published by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP). The country was placed 153rd out of 163 countries and territories, with a score of 2.973, making it the 11th least peaceful nation globally.
According to the report, the 10 least peaceful countries for 2026 are Russia (163rd), Sudan (162nd), the Democratic Republic of Congo (161st), Ukraine (160th), Israel (159th), South Sudan (158th), Afghanistan (157th), Yemen (156th), Syria (155th), and Mali (154th). Somalia’s position at 153rd places it one rank above Mali, which occupies the 10th spot from the bottom.
Despite this marginal improvement in comparative ranking, the report notes that Somalia’s peace score deteriorated by four places compared to the previous year, reflecting continued challenges linked to conflict and insecurity.
Regional Context: Horn of Africa Conflict System
The IEP report highlights that conflicts in the Horn of Africa are no longer isolated crises but have merged into one of the world’s most dangerous and interconnected conflict systems. Somalia, Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and South Sudan are described as part of a single conflict cluster linked by refugee flows, illicit trade networks, arms trafficking, gold smuggling, proxy actors, and competition for control of strategic Red Sea routes.
Somalia remains among the least peaceful countries in sub-Saharan Africa, ranking near the bottom of the regional table. The region as a whole recorded a deterioration in peacefulness, with eight of the world’s 20 least peaceful countries located in sub-Saharan Africa.
Global Trends: Peace Deteriorates for 12th Consecutive Year
The 2026 GPI reveals that global peacefulness has deteriorated for the 12th consecutive year, with 99 countries recording a decline in peacefulness – the highest number since the index was first published 20 years ago. The number of active, state-based conflicts has reached 61, the highest since the end of World War II.
The global economic impact of violence reached a record $21.81 trillion in 2025, equivalent to 10.5 percent of global GDP. Military expenditure reached a record $2.9 trillion, driven in large part by increased spending in Europe following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The report also highlights the rapid transformation of warfare through technology, with drone attacks surging by over 11,500 percent between 2018 and 2025. Artificial intelligence has compressed targeting timelines from a full day to mere seconds, raising serious concerns about meaningful human oversight in lethal decision-making.
Critical Note
While Somalia’s placement outside the bottom 10 may be viewed as a marginal improvement, it should not be mistaken for a significant enhancement in the country’s security situation. The Global Peace Index is a comparative assessment, and Somalia remains firmly within the group of nations facing the world’s most serious peace and security challenges. The country continues to grapple with an armed insurgency, weak state capacity, and recurrent humanitarian crises, while simultaneously attempting to strengthen state institutions and assume greater responsibility for national security.
The report’s findings on the interconnected nature of conflicts in the Horn of Africa underscore the importance of regional approaches to peace and security. Somalia’s stability cannot be achieved in isolation from the broader dynamics affecting Sudan, Ethiopia, and the wider region. The competition for influence along the Red Sea coast and the proliferation of illicit networks pose ongoing threats that require coordinated responses from regional and international actors. Without sustained investment in governance, economic development, and regional cooperation, the gains reflected in Somalia’s marginal improvement in the GPI may prove fragile and temporary.
