T H E T E N C O U N T R I E S L E A S T AT P E A C E
election that was held in August. He is
and some 250,000 people displaced. The
expected to remain in power for the next five
conflict in Darfur between several rebel
years, bringing a degree of consistency in
movements and the Sudanese government and
policy that has been cautiously welcomed in
Janjaweed militias remained violent, notably
the US, neighbouring countries and nations
in and around the town of Umm Baru, in
contributing to the ISAF. Nevertheless, there
spite of the resumption of peace talks between
was widespread concern about allegations
the government and the Justice and Equality
of fraud and the controversy that dogged the
Movement (JEM), the most powerful rebel
election. The GPI indicator of Afghanistan’s
group, in Doha, Qatar. In late July the UN
relations with neighbouring countries also
Security Council extended the mandate of
registered an improvement in 2009, although
the UN-African Union Mission in Darfur
they remain tense, which contributed to a
(UNAMID) for another year and increased
drop in the nation’s overall score and an
the number of peacekeepers to 14,600.
upward shift to 147th position. Ties with
The conflict between the Sudan People’s
India have strengthened slightly, underlined
Liberation Army (SPLA) and the government
by the country’s US$1.1bn effort to help in
over the status of southern Sudan rumbled
Afghanistan’s reconstruction. In January
on in 2009; heavy fighting broke out in
2009 a new 200km Indian-built road opened,
Abyei and Malakal over the demarcation of
linking Zaranj on the Iranian border to
boundaries of the oil-rich region.
Herat, Kandahar and Kabul. Relations with
The UN estimates that up to 300,000 people
Iran, which have been warm since 2001,
have died from the combined effects of war,
also improved in 2009, amid better trade
famine and disease since the conflict in Darfur
links that have been facilitated by new road
began in 2003. Sudan’s government put the
infrastructure in eastern Iran.
death toll at 10,000. Almost 2.7m people
Sudan: 146th place
are estimated to have fled their homes in Darfur alone, while refugees and internally
Score: 3.125
displaced people across the country as a
Continued conflict and a deepening
whole are estimated to number almost 5.3m,
humanitarian crisis in Sudan’s western region of Darfur, as well as an intensification of tensions in the south contributed to
highly accessible and Sudan’s score for
high score. Terrorist acts and violent
military capability and sophistication rose
demonstrations became more frequent in
amid reports that both the ruling National
2009, although their GPI scores remained lower than in Somalia and Iraq. The measure of organised conflict in Sudan stayed at the highest possible level. Violent clashes between the Murle, Lou-Nuer and Jikany-Luer ethnic grazing rights left around 2,000 casualties
proportion in the 2010 GPI. In the military sphere, small arms and light weapons remain
a deterioration of the country’s already
groups in Jonglei Sate, southern Sudan over
12.8% of the population – the fourth highest
Congress Party (NCP) Sudanese government and the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) have been retooling their forces in preparation for potential conflict over a planned referendum on independence in 2011. The GPI indicator of political stability improved slightly to a score of 3.75 in 2009,
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