Rabat – The 15th edition of the Global Peace Index has ranked Morocco 79th in the world and 6th in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region for its perceived peacefulness.
The study, produced by the Institute for Economics and Peace, ranks 163 countries and territories in terms of their level of peacefulness.
According to the publisher, the study is the “most comprehensive data-driven analysis to-date on trends in peace, its economic value, and how to develop peaceful societies.” The research covers approximately 99.7% of the world’s population.
Morocco has climbed nine ranks within the global peace index compared to last year’s results, achieving 75th place up from last year’s 84th position. Out of the 20 MENA countries ranked in the study, Morocco maintained its sixth position for the second year running. Only Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, and Oman are considered more peaceful than Morocco.
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In terms of the cost of violence, which is evaluated by the relative cost of a percentage of total gross domestic product (GPA), Morocco ranks 97th worldwide. Adjusted according to purchasing power parity (PPP), the study has concluded that violence costs Morocco over $28 billion annually, which translates to approximately $781.5 per capita. Morocco’s cost of violence represents approximately 6% of its national GDP.
The study notes that only three of the nine regions worldwide grew more peaceful over the past year. Despite the fact that the MENA region experienced the largest growth in terms of peacefulness, it “still remains the least peaceful region in the world.”
It also highlights that “feelings of safety in the Middle East and North Africa vary considerably between countries.” While Yemen has now become the least peaceful country in the region, 58% of people in the UAE reported feeling safer in the past year, making the Gulf country the safest place in the MENA region.
Over 25% of Moroccans see violence as the greatest risk to their country’s peace. Although Yemen is by far the least peaceful country in the region, Moroccans still have a considerably higher fear of violence. Approximately 64% of Moroccans report being worried about violence, which according to the study, is the highest percentage of any MENA country.
