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Iraq, Sudan 'most vulnerable'
02/05/2006 13:48 - (SA)
Washington - Despite large-scale support from the United States, Iraq and Afghanistan rank among the world's most vulnerable states, according to a study released on Tuesday.
In its second annual "failed states" index, Foreign Policy magazine and the Fund for Peace reported Sudan as the country under the most severe stress because of violent internal conflict.
Eleven of the 20 most vulnerable countries - of the 148 nations examined - are in Africa. The Democratic Republic of Congo and Ivory Coast ranked second and third.
For the survey, each country was given a score based on data from available sources.
A "failing state" was described as a state in which the government lacks effective control over its territory, is not seen as legitimate by a significant portion of its population, does not provide domestic security or basic public services to its citizens, and lacks a monopoly on the use of force.
Sudan received low grades in all areas surveyed, including protection of human rights, "group grievances" against the government, and refugee numbers.
30% of all terror attacks are in Iraq
According to the survey, the situation in Iraq (No 4) and Afghanistan (No 10) had deteriorated since 2005, the first year the survey was taken.
The report read: "For Iraq, the index category that worsened most was human flight. The exodus of Iraq's professional class has accelerated, leaving the country without the trained citizens it needs to staff important posts."
Iraq's instability was underscored in a US state department report last week, which said that 30% of all terror attacks worldwide last year occurred in Iraq.
In terms of available human resources, Afghanistan faces a somewhat different problem from Iraq, the report said.
It said that while educated Afghan exiles have been slow to return since the US-led overthrow of the Taliban militia-run government in 2001, overwhelmingly poor Afghan refugees have returned in large numbers from Iran and Pakistan.
Pakistan falls in index ratings
"The result is a capital city busting at the seams but short of trained administrators," said the report.
Pakistan is also troubled according to the report. Its inability to police the tribal areas near the Afghan border lead to one of the sharpest declines in overall score of any country on the index.
The analysis debunks the notion that steady growth rates in China are making the country more stable. China lost ground on the index from last year, and showed at 57th on the list.
Other countries losing ground from last year survey were Zimbabwe ("poor governance and endemic corruption") and Nigeria ("regional and religious fissures").
High oil prices have helped Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to solidify power and stabilise the country, said the report.
Others registering significant gains were the Dominican Republic, Guatemala and Bosnia.
- AP
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