Somalia Ranks 11th from Bottom in 2026 Global Peace Index, Missing Bottom 10

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: Somalia has been ranked 153rd out of 163 countries and territories in the 2026 Global Peace Index, placing it 11th from the bottom rather than among the world’s 10 least peaceful countries, according to the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP).

Somalia recorded a score of 2.973 in the index, which measures peacefulness using 23 indicators covering societal safety and security, ongoing domestic and international conflict, and militarisation.

The distinction is narrow but significant. Mali, ranked 154th, is the 10th least peaceful country, while Somalia is one place higher at 153rd.

The 10 countries at the bottom of the 2026 ranking are Russia, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ukraine, Israel, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria and Mali.

But Somalia’s position should not be read as evidence of a major improvement in its security situation. Its ranking fell by four places from the previous edition, reflecting continued challenges linked to conflict and insecurity.

The 2026 index paints a wider picture of a world struggling with increasingly persistent and interconnected conflicts. Global peacefulness deteriorated by 0.7% over the past year, marking the 12th consecutive year of decline. Ninety-nine countries became less peaceful, compared with 62 that improved.

Somalia’s position in sub-Saharan Africa

Somalia remains among the least peaceful countries in sub-Saharan Africa, ranking near the bottom of the regional table.

The region itself recorded a deterioration in peacefulness, with eight of the world’s 20 least peaceful countries located in sub-Saharan Africa. The IEP attributes much of the region’s longer-term deterioration to armed conflict and terrorism, particularly in the Sahel.

For Somalia, the findings come as the country continues to confront an armed insurgency while attempting to strengthen state institutions and assume greater responsibility for national security.

The country has also become increasingly connected to wider regional security dynamics. Conflict, displacement, cross-border networks and competition involving the Red Sea and Horn of Africa mean that developments in Somalia cannot always be separated from instability in neighbouring countries.

A global decline in peace

The Somalia ranking comes against a backdrop of what the IEP describes as a historically difficult global security environment.

The 2026 index says there were 61 active state-based conflicts in 2024, the highest number since the end of World War Two. The report also says violent conflict deaths exceeded 181,000 in 2025.

The institute says conflicts are also becoming harder to resolve, with wars increasingly prolonged rather than ending through decisive military victories or formal peace agreements.

The figures underline why Somalia’s position at 153rd should be understood in context. While the country is technically outside the bottom 10, it remains among the world’s most conflict-affected states and continues to face substantial security and institutional challenges.

The Global Peace Index is therefore less a measure of whether Somalia is “peaceful” or “not peaceful” than a comparative assessment of how its security and conflict environment ranks against those of other countries.

In that comparison, Somalia narrowly avoids the bottom 10 — but remains firmly within the group of countries facing the world’s most serious peace and security challenges.