Ghana’s position on the Global Peace Index (GPI) has seen a notable decline, with the country ranking 55th in 2024 with a score of 1.938, a drop from its 51st place in 2023 and an even more significant fall from 40th in 2022.

This dip also sees Ghana slipping from its previous position as the second most peaceful country in Sub-Saharan Africa, now ranking 4th in the region, behind Mauritius, Madagascar, and Botswana.

The GPI, compiled annually by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), evaluates 163 countries based on three key domains: societal safety and security, ongoing domestic and international conflict, and militarization.

The report highlighted that in 2024, Sub-Saharan Africa experienced deteriorations in peacefulness across all three domains, with ongoing conflicts spilling across national borders. The index also revealed that 36 out of 44 countries in the region had been involved in at least one external conflict over the past five years.

Mauritius remains the most peaceful country in Sub-Saharan Africa for the 17th consecutive year, with significant improvements in its Safety and Security domain. In contrast, South Sudan, despite some improvements, remains the least peaceful country in the region. Ethiopia recorded the largest improvement due to a ceasefire agreement in the Tigray region, while Gabon saw the most significant deterioration, primarily due to a military coup that ousted President Ali Bongo in August 2023.

On a global scale, Iceland remains the most peaceful country with a score of 1.112, followed by Ireland at 1.303. Yemen, with a score of 3.397, continues to rank as the least peaceful nation worldwide.

The report noted a worrying global trend of declining peace, with 97 countries experiencing deteriorations, compared to only 65 that saw improvements. Political instability, rising conflict-related deaths, and violent demonstrations contributed to this trend.

In West Africa, Sierra Leone surpassed Ghana in 2023 as the most peaceful nation in the region. The National Peace Council expressed concern over these developments then, calling on Ghanaians to work together to restore peace in the country.

Eastern Regional Chairman of the National Peace Council, Dr. Mark Boadu, emphasized the severity of Ghana’s fall, stating, “This is a cause for worry, and we must all work hard to bring back the glory.”

In 2024, Ghana has recorded several violent protests, including the "Enough is Enough" demonstration led by the National Democratic Congress (NDC), which saw clashes between protestors and security services. The recent Democracy Hub protest against illegal mining activities also resulted in over 40 arrests.

Globally, the GPI report shows that the world has become less peaceful for the 12th time in the past 16 years. The report noted, however, a stronger commitment to UN peacekeeping efforts, which recorded the most significant improvement among GPI indicators. Despite some positive developments, the Militarization domain saw the largest deterioration, driven by rising military expenditures. Ukraine, Myanmar, and North Macedonia recorded some of the biggest increases in military spending.

The ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, along with continued unrest in other regions, contributed to a decline in global peace, with 85 countries experiencing deterioration in the Ongoing Conflict domain. Meanwhile, the Safety and Security domain was the only one to record an improvement in the past year, with countries like Kazakhstan, Iran, and Uzbekistan seeing a decrease in violent demonstrations.

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