Ethiopia, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Sahel region, have been identified as among the world’s top conflict escalation hotspots, according to the Global Peace Index 2025.
The Index released by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP) over the weekend said the countries are experiencing the triple whammy of severe violence, humanitarian crises, and political instability.
“There are currently 59 active state-based conflicts globally- the highest number since World War II – and Africa is home to some of the most dangerous of them,” the report said.
Sudan ranks as the third least peaceful country in the world, behind only Ukraine and Russia, the report said adding over 6,800 conflict-related deaths were reported in 2024 alone while the displacement of millions has created a dire humanitarian emergency.
According to the report, the DRC continues to experience sustained violence from dozens of armed groups, with one of the world’s worst records for conflict deaths and displaced populations.. The DRC has been ranked 160th out of 163 countries.
Ethiopia remains in a deep crisis. Despite the formal end of the two-year devastating war in the Tigray region, the report warns that tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea continue to pose significant escalation risks.
Although the report did not focus on the ongoing conflicts in other regions of Ethiopia, the active militarized conflicts in the Amhara and Oromia regions continued causing grave sufferings to civilians and vital infrastructures in both regions.
The Sahel region remains a flashpoint. The index indicated that instability and resource scarcity have made the region a ground zero for geopolitical competition, with both state and non-state actors vying for influence and control. Terrorism, particularly in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, has intensified.
The impact of these conflicts is not merely human – it’s economic. According to the report, violence cost the global economy $19.97 trillion in 2024, with developing nations in sub-Saharan Africa among the hardest hit. “Military and internal security expenditure alone account for over 74 percent of this cost,” it said.
MG/as/APA