The failed state Index 2011 : A report

[ramu]

Three African states -- Somalia, Chad, and Sudan -- once again top this year's Failed States Index, the annual ranking prepared by the Fund for Peace and published by FOREIGN POLICY of the world's most vulnerable countries. For four years in a row, Somalia has held the No. 1 spot, indicating the depth of the crisis in the international community's longest-running failure.

The new edition of the index draws on some 130,000 publicly available sources to analyze 177 countries and rate them on 12 indicators of pressure on the state during the year 2010 -- from refugee flows to poverty, public services to security threats. Taken together, a country's performance on this battery of indicators tells us how stable -- or unstable -- it is. And the latest results show how much the 2008 economic crisis and its ripple effects everywhere, from collapsing trade to soaring food prices to stagnant investment, are still haunting the world.

Somalia's unending woes are the stuff hopelessness is made of. But elsewhere in the top 20, some countries showed improvement, even as others fell further behind. Afghanistan and Iraq both moved down the ranks, suggesting slight gains for the two war-torn countries as the United States seeks a sustainable exit strategy. Kenya moved out of the top 15, showing that the country continues to recover from its bloody post-election ethnic warfare of recent years. Liberia and East Timor, wards of the United Nations, largely stayed out of trouble. But Haiti, already a portrait of misery, moved up six places on the index, battered and struggling to cope with the aftermath of January 2010's tragic earthquake, which left more than 300,000 dead. Another former French colony, Ivory Coast, rejoined the top 10, grimly foreshadowing its devastating post-election crisis this year, while fragile Niger leapt four spots amid a devastating famine.

Africa's promise and peril are likely to figure prominently again this year, with 27 African countries scheduled to hold presidential, legislative, or local elections throughout 2011. As much as elections can contribute to democratic progress, they are often a flashpoint for conflict -- conflicts that invariably send already fragile states back up the ranks of the index. Uganda's incumbent President Yoweri Museveni won reelection in February, but the opposition has cried foul and his inauguration was met with violent protests. In Nigeria, steady in the rankings this year at No. 14, post-election rampages in April killed as many as 800 people. Sudan's closely watched referendum in January on an independent southern state was surprisingly free of bloodshed, but the country continues to hover on the brink of new violence.

As if its traumas last year weren't horrific enough, Haiti in 2011 is again proving to be a hard test for the world, with billions of dollars in donation pledges left unfulfilled and thousands still living in squalid tent camps, battling a cholera epidemic that has killed more than 4,600. After a fraud-marred first round, a presidential runoff election in March brought to power an untested stage performer nicknamed "Sweet Micky."

Perhaps the biggest challenge of all for 2011 will be dealing with the global fallout of the Arab revolutions, which began in Tunisia and quickly spread to Egypt, Bahrain, Libya, Yemen, and Syria. Few could have predicted that a street vendor's humiliation would be the spark that set an entire region ablaze, with consequences that may reach far beyond the Middle East. After all, if peaceful protesters can unseat an entrenched dictator in Cairo, why can't they take to the repressed streets of Tashkent or Rangoon?

The 2011 Failed States Index | Foreign Policy

 

[SpArK]

ramu ji hasnt the thread been posted and the message conveyed?

Why start another?

 

[ramu]

A thread related to failed states was closed because people from countries who were shown in bad light wanted to troll and get the thread closed. Instead of closing the thread, why is the moderator not banning those trolling. Closing a thread here sounds like avoiding a discussion !

Very convenient ...

 

[Mo12]

A thread related to failed states was closed because people from countries who were shown in bad light wanted to troll and get the thread closed. Instead of closing the thread, why is the moderator not banning those trolling. Closing a thread here sounds like avoiding a discussion !

Very convenient ...

Elmo told me, he will open the thread after he cleans it dude.

 

[SpArK]

A thread related to failed states was closed because people from countries who were shown in bad light wanted to troll and get the thread closed. Instead of closing the thread, why is the moderator not banning those trolling. Closing a thread here sounds like avoiding a discussion !

Very convenient ...

So its all about showing "bad light" of others.

Okie best of luck with the thread.

 

[Roybot]

Elmo told me, he will open the thread after he cleans it dude.

Elmo is a she

 

[ramu]

So its all about showing "bad light" of others.

Okie best of luck with the thread.

Nope. The thread I have started has nothing to do with the "bad light"

The thread is about the report.

---------- Post added at 06:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:06 PM ----------

 

[SpArK]

Nope. The thread I have started has nothing to do with the "bad light"

The thread is about the report.

---------- Post added at 06:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:06 PM ----------

The Full List
====================================

1 Somalia 113.4
2 Chad 110.3
3 Sudan 108.7
4 Congo (D. R.) 108.2
5 Haiti 108
6 Zimbabwe 107.9
7 Afghanistan 107.5
8 Central African Republic 105
9 Iraq 104.8
10 Cote d'Ivoire 102.8
11 Guinea 102.5
12 Pakistan 102.3
13 Yemen 100.3
14 Nigeria 99.9
15 Niger 99.1
16 Kenya 98.7
17 Burundi 98.6
18 Myanmar 98.3
19 Guinea Bissau 98.3
20 Ethiopia 98.2
21 Uganda 96.3
22 North Korea 95.6
23 Timor-Leste 94.9
24 Cameroon 94.6
25 Bangladesh 94.4
26 Liberia 94
27 Nepal 93.7
28 Eritrea 93.6
29 Sri Lanka 93.1
30 Sierra Leone 92.1
31 Kyrgyzstan 91.8
32 Congo (Republic) 91.4
33 Malawi 91.2
34 Rwanda 91
35 Iran 90.2
36 Togo 89.4
37 Burkina Faso 88.6
38 Cambodia 88.5
39 Tajikistan 88.3
40 Uzbekistan 88.3
41 Equatorial Guinea 88.1
42 Mauritania 88
43 Lebanon 87.7
44 Colombia 87
45 Egypt 86.8
46 Laos 86.7
47 Georgia 86.4
48 Syria 85.9
49 Solomon Islands 85.9
50 Bhutan 85
51 Philippines 85
52 Angola 84.6
53 Israel/West Bank 84.4
54 Papua New Guinea 84.2
55 Zambia 83.8
56 Comoros 83.8
57 Mozambique 83.6
58 Madagascar 83.2
59 Bolivia 82.9
60 Dijbouti 82.6
61 Swaziland 82.5
62 Ecuador 82.2
63 Azerbaijan 81.9
64 Indonesia 81.6
65 Tanzania 81.3
66 Moldova 81.2
67 Nicaragua 81.2
68 Fiji 81.1
69 Gambia 80.9
70 Bosnia 80.9
71 Lesotho 80.4
72 China 80.1
73 Guatemala 80.1
74 Benin 80
75 Turkmenistan 79.7
76 India 79.3
77 Mali 79.3
78 Honduras 78.3
79 Thailand 78.3
80 Venezuela 78.2
81 Algeria 78
82 Russia 77.7
83 Belarus 77.6
84 Dominican Republic 76.9
85 Senegal 76.8
86 Cuba 76.6
87 Morocco 76.3
88 Vietnam 76.1
89 El Salvador 76
90 Cape Verde 75.8
91 Maldives 75.6
92 Gabon 75.3
93 Saudi Arabia 75.2
94 Mexico 75.1
95 Jordan 74.5
96 Sao Tome 74.5
97 Serbia 74.4
98 Peru 73.6
99 Guyana 72.6
100 Paraguay 72.4
101 Armenia 72.3
102 Micronesia 71.9
103 Namibia 71.7
104 Turkey 71.5
105 Suriname 71.1
106 Macedonia 71
107 Kazakhstan 70.2
108 Tunisia 70.1
109 Samoa 69.5
110 Ukraine 69
111 Libya 68.7
112 Malaysia 68.7
113 Botswana 67.9
114 Belize 67.7
115 Ghana 67.7
116 Cyprus 67.6
117 South Africa 67.6
118 Jamaica 67.1
119 Seychelles 67
120 Grenada 66.4
121 Albania 66.1
122 Brunei 65.8
123 Brazil 65.1
124 Trinidad 63.7
125 Antigua & Barbuda 59.9
126 Romania 59.8
127 Mongolia 59.6
128 Kuwait 59.5
129 Bahrain 59
130 Bulgaria 59
131 Panama 57.8
132 Croatia 57.3
133 Bahamas 56.5
134 Montenegro 56.3
135 Lativa 54.2
136 Barbados 52.8
137 Costa Rica 50.6
138 United Arab Emirates 50.4
139 Qatar 49.5
140 Estonia 49.3
141 Oman 49.3
142 Hungary 48.7
143 Greece 47.4
144 Slovakia 47.1
145 Argentina 46.8
146 Poland 46.8
147 Italy 45.8
148 Malta 45.4
149 Lithuania 45.3
150 Mauritius 44.2
151 Spain 43.1
152 Czech Republic 42.4
153 Chile 40.7
154 Uruguay 40.4
155 South Korea 38.8
156 Slovenia 35.5
157 Singapore 35.1
158 United States 34.8
159 United Kingdom 34.1
160 Belgium 34.1
161 France 34
162 Germany 33.9
163 Portugal 32.3
164 Japan 31
165 Iceland 30.1
166 Netherlands 28.3
167 Australia 28.1
168 Canada 27.7
169 Austria 27.3
170 Luxembourg 26.1
171 Ireland 25.3
172 New Zealand 24.8
173 Denmark 23.8
174 Switzerland 23.2
175 Sweden 22.8
176 Norway 20.4
177 Finland 19.7

Ok there is a list.

What next? Finding solutions? Checking the causes? analysing who left and who gained?

Do you seriously believe you will have a discussion ever like that?

 

[Mo12]

Ok there is a list.

What next? Finding solutions? Checking the causes? analysing who left and who gained?

Do you seriously believe you will have a discussion ever like that?

Yaar he posted a link, just like you or Sri Lankan guy does. He decided to make a new thread after he believed Elmo closed the thread.

 

[SpArK]

Yaar he posted a link, just like you or Sri Lankan guy does. He decided to make a new thread after he believed Elmo closed the thread.

Ok lets see how this one goes.

No worries.

 

[ramu]

The Troubled Ten: The Failed States Index's Worst Performers

1. Somalia

On this year’s Failed States Index, Somalia scored as the worst offender for Refugees and IDPs, Economic Decline, Human rights and Security Apparatus. The absence of a permanent national government for almost twenty years has led to ongoing civil violence, economic hardship, poor social conditions, and the displacement of several million Somali citizens. It has become increasingly difficult for international agencies to provide aid to Somalia in light of the recent troubles with piracy and hostility towards foreigners. An upsurge of civil violence in the southern part of the nation has created further destabilization and threatens any potential improvements to Somalia’s condition.

2. Chad

Chad is threatened by regional and domestic instability. Rebel forces remain a destabilizing force in the country, though cross-border attacks between Sudanese and Chadian militias have decreased following a peace agreement between the two countries. Around 450,000 refugees and IDPs remain in the eastern region of Chad. The humanitarian crisis has been exacerbated by continued pressure on food and water supplies in the region. Although Chad’s oil revenues have the potential to contribute to poverty reduction, they are just as likely to be siphoned off by corruption, perpetuating the Deby government’s illegitimacy and unaccountability.

3. Sudan

Instability and violence continue to define Sudan. The southern half of the country voted to secede from the north in January 2011. Though this process has been partially successful, new clashes are now being reported between the North and the South, especially in and around Abyei. The discovery of oil in southern Sudan in 2005 exacerbated an already complex secession crisis and it remains to be seen how peaceful the planned separation will be. Violence also continues in Darfur, sending refugees into central Sudan and neighboring states, giving the conflict a regional dimension. Leaders in the North and the South will have to exercise restraint in the use of violence by fringe rebel groups if the fragile peace is to be kept.

4. Congo (D.R.)

The D.R. Congo continues to struggle, with poverty remaining widespread throughout the country and violence and instability continuing in the east. In addition to a lack of capacity, the Congolese security forces lack credibility due to their widespread human rights abuses. There is a need for the government to better hold accountable members of the security forces and to punish those who are committing human rights abuses. Fighting corruption, ending the impunity of the security forces and creating a more capable and professional military are also key priorities. The need for increasing the capacity and legitimacy of government security forces has become increasingly urgent.

5. Haiti

Following the devastating earthquake in January 2010, Haiti’s situation has deteriorated rapidly, with complete dependence on international humanitarian relief and the presence of foreign security forces. Haiti faces great challenges in rebuilding, a task further complicated by the country’s previously weak institutions and widespread extreme poverty. Haiti’s security forces are woefully unprepared to take over policing duties, and serious reforms will need to be implemented. Haiti’s government should work to demonstrate its commitment to the rebuilding process. In addition, leaders, especially recently elected President Michel Martelly, should make an effort to stem political instability and factionalism to create a government capable of guiding the country through the disaster recovery.

6. Zimbabwe

Despite the power-sharing agreement between ZANU-PF and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), Zimbabwe remains a highly unstable country, suffering from government repression, rigged elections, and poor economic performance. The power-sharing agreement has been undermined by arrests and intimidation of opposition leaders. The failure to fully implement the power-sharing agreement, and satisfactorily devolving power to Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and the MDC, severely undermines the government’s credibility. ZANU-PF also continues to use the state security apparatus as a political tool to harass opposition voices. The creation of a friendlier business environment, capable of luring émigrés home and attracting foreign investment will be necessary to help improve the economy.

7. Afghanistan

Afghanistan has ranked in the top ten on the Failed States Index for the past five years. The country faces many security challenges, including attacks on the American security forces and the widespread violence resulting from Taliban insurgent groups. Insurgents and illegally armed anti-American groups continue to undermine efforts to forge a functioning government capable of providing access to basic necessities and able to implement public services. Moreover, pervasive political corruption and the prominence of drug lords challenge state legitimacy. The government’s inability to control regions in which drug lords operate has made it difficult to combat the country’s robust drug trade and the growing black market. Until Afghanistan has the capacity to suppress its many security challenges, improves stability is unlikely.

8. Central African Republic

The Central African Republic remains one of the least stable countries in the world, with spillover from neighboring conflicts likely to continue to destabilize the area. The country’s economy has stagnated under poor policies since independence. A history of coups d’etat has destabilized the government and allowed the rest of the country to fall into disorder. The government is unable to exert any substantive control over the more remote provinces and poor infrastructure prevents effective rule within the areas the government does control. A truce between the government and rebel forces in June 2008 led to the establishment of a more inclusive coalition government in January 2009. However, the postponement by almost a year of elections originally scheduled for early 2010 has undermined trust in the government and highlighted problems with the country’s political polarization.

9. Iraq

The 2010 parliamentary elections marked the most comprehensive turn out in the country’s history. Shia, Sunni and Kurds turned out in large numbers despite sporadic violence. The initially positive but inconclusive results however, served to underscore the monumental challenges facing the central government. While the Kurds remain the king makers for the position of Prime Minster, contentious political battles between Shia and Sunni went on for months following the elections. Revenue sharing from the oil fields of Kirkut has yet to be resolved. Despite a Constitutional requirement that 1/4 of parliamentary seats be assigned to women, they were allotted only a single vague state ministerial position. Foreign state influence continues to play a decisive role in political coalition formation inside Iraq.

10. Cote d’Ivoire

Côte d’Ivoire’s movement on the 2011 Failed State Index can be attributed to the destabilizing post-election crisis that followed the 2010 elections. The incumbent Laurent Gbagbo’s refusal to cede power rekindled the country’s long-standing political, religious, and ethnic tensions. After approximately five months of fighting, Gbagbo agreed to transfer power to the internationally recognized president-elect, Alassane Ouattara. Unfortunately, the political crisis caused the country to relapse after improving on the 2009 and 2010 Failed States Index. By weakening governance and inflaming social tensions, the crisis has left the country vulnerable to a resurgence of violence. Concentrated efforts to improve governance, strengthen institutions, and invoke reconciliation processes are sorely needed to mitigate Côte d’Ivoire’s fragile condition.

The Troubled Ten: The Failed States Index's Worst Performers | The Fund for Peace

 

[Solo Monk]

To quote Dennis Kux: Pakistan is a flawed, not failed, state. A State with independent judiciary, strong anti-establishment media, nascent democracy, not-that-bad economy (despite floods and terrorism), a quasi-rule of law, etc is not a 'failed state' in the same manner as Somalia, for instance.
And by the way, I've seen the map somewhere, and there weren't more than 10 "sustainable" States.

 

[Mo12]

Anyway I am so surprised to see India in the 70's and above China.

 

[ramu]

Anyway I am so surprised to see India in the 70's and above China.

ha ha ... self doubt

 

[roadrunner]

there was no trolling in the other thread. It was you being unable to answer why India is not a failed state when it has half a billion people starving. That would be a failed state by ANY definition.

These sorts of listings are all opinion.