Global armed conflicts in 2023 highest since end of WWII
The number of armed conflicts worldwide in 2023 was the highest since the end of WW2, according to a new study. Last year saw 59 conflicts around the globe, with a total of 28 armed conflicts registered in Africa, followed by Asia with 17, the Middle East with 10, Europe with three and the Americas with one. But the number of countries which experienced conflicts declined from 39 in 2022 to 34, the Peace Research Institute of Oslo (PRIO) in Norway showed.
The number of deaths in combat also halved to around 122,000 over the previous year, according to data collected by Sweden's Uppsala University from NGOs and international organizations. That number remained nonetheless the third highest since 1989, against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine and the conflict between Israel and Hamas. 'Violence in the world is at an all-time high since the end of the Cold War,' said Siri Aas Rustad, PRIO researcher and the main author of the report covering trends during the period 1946-2023.
'The figures suggest that the conflict landscape has become increasingly complex, with more conflict actors operating within the same country,' she explained. According to PRIO, the increase in the number of conflicts can be partially attributed to the Islamic State spreading across Asia, Africa and the Middle East, and the involvement of a growing number of non-state actors such as the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Group to Support Islam and Muslims (JNIM). 'This development makes it increasingly difficult for actors like aid groups and civil society organizations to maneuver the conflict landscape and improve the lives of ordinary people,' Rustad said.
While the number of combat deaths decreased last year, the accumulated number for the past three years is the highest for a three-year period in 30 years. The 122,000 battle deaths n 2023 were only surpassed by 2021 and 2022. The number of battle deaths in 2023 was driven mainly by two conflicts, the ongoing invasion of Ukraine by Russia, with 71,000 battle deaths, and the devastating war between Israel and Hamas with 23,000 battle deaths incurred in less than three months of the conflict in 2023.
Compared to ten years ago, the number of conflicts in Africa has nearly doubled, from 15 in 2013 to 28 in 2023. The earlier decrease in the number of conflicts in the Middle East have reversed with an increase from eight to ten from 2022 to 2023. This comes as the Global Peace Index (GPI) showed that 97 countries deteriorated in peacefulness, with 92 countries being involved in conflicts beyond their borders - more than at any time since the inception of the GPI in 2008.
The global economic impact of violence increased to $19.1 trillion in 2023, representing 13.5 percent of the global GDP - or $2,380 per person. This is an increase of $158 billion, driven largely by a 20 percent increase in GDP losses from conflict. Expenditure on peace-building and peacekeeping totaled $49.6 billion, representing less than 0.6 percent of total military spending. The largest number of militarization since the inception of the GPI has also been recorded, with 108 countries becoming more militarized.
More than 110 million people are either refugees or internally displaced due to violent conflict, with 16 countries now hosting more than half a million refugees. The rising number of minor conflicts increases the likelihood of more major conflicts in the future. For example, in 2019, Ethiopia, Ukraine, and Gaza were all identified as minor conflicts. Iceland remains the most peaceful country, a position it has held since 2008, followed by Ireland, Austria, New Zealand, and Singapore - a new entrant in the top five.
Yemen has replaced Afghanistan as the least peaceful country in the world. It is followed by Sudan, South Sudan, Afghanistan, and Ukraine. The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) remains the least peaceful region. It is home to four of the ten least peaceful countries in the world and the two least peaceful, Sudan and Yemen. Despite this, the UAE recorded the largest improvement in peacefulness in the region - rising 31 places to position 53 in 2024.
Steve Killelea, Founder and Executive Chairman of the think tank the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP), said: ' Over the past decade, peacefulness has declined in nine out of the ten years. 'We are witnessing a record number of conflicts, a rise in militarization, and heightened international strategic competition. 'Conflict negatively affects the global economy, and business risk from conflict has never been higher, compounding the current global economic vulnerabilities.
'It is imperative for governments and businesses worldwide to intensify their efforts to resolve the many minor conflicts before they escalate into larger crises. 'It's been 80 years since the end of WWII, and the current crises underscore the urgency for world leaders to commit to investing in resolving these conflicts.'
