‘South Sudan, Sudan in top 5 fragile states’: peace fund

South Sudan has been named the world’s “most fragile” state, ending Somalia’s six-years atop the Fragile State Index (FSI), a new report says. The neighbouring Sudan is the world’s fifth most fragile state, and is preceded by three Sub-Saharan countries. The report, issued by the United States-based Fund for Peace (FFP), blames mass killings, chronic instability, fractured leadership, and a growing ethnic conflict for South Sudan’s poor ranking. It was ranked fourth in 2011. In 2013, South Sudan recorded the maximum indicator score for three indicators: the number of refugees, internally displaced people, and camps; external intervention, presence of UN missions, and sanctions; and finally group grievance, ethnic or religious violence, and powerlessness. There are 12 indicators in total, and each of them is rated on a scale of 1-10, based on the analysis of thousands of articles and reports. “The country’s independence, while initially giving cause for celebration, is now giving only cause for concern. Politics and leadership grows increasingly fractious, and mass killings – especially targeting specific ethnic groups – gains momentum,” the report partly reads. Sudan fifth ‘most fragile state’ Sudan ranked third in last year’s index. It has reversed its 3-year negative trend in the FSI, which can mostly be attributed to its cessation of hostilities with South Sudan and creating a demilitarised zone. The widespread instability has remained, the FSI reads, as there was continued violence in Darfur and in the south, including deadly attacks on UN peacekeeping teams in 2013. The report also mentioned the crackdowns of demonstrations against the cuts of fuel subsidies in September 2013, and alleged forced resignations amongst members of Sudan’s ruling party. The CAR ‘most worsened country’ The FSI was published in Washington on Thursday. The top six countries on the index are all in sub-Saharan Africa: Somalia on second place, the Central African Republic (CAR) third, and Congo fourth. The CAR, however, is the world’s “most-worsened country”, beset by civil war. Afghanistan is listed the seventh most fragile state. Finland has remained in the best position. “With the exception of the recently added South Sudan, every country in the top ten has improved year-on-year at some point. […] But there is always room — and capacity — for improvement. ” The Fragile States Index (FSI), produced by The Fund for Peace, is a critical tool in highlighting the normal pressures that all states experience. It aims to identify when those pressures are pushing a state towards the brink of failure. The FSI focuses on the indicators of risk, and bases the ranking on the analysis of thousands of articles and reports. A high score indicates high pressure on the state and therefore a higher risk of instability. File photo: UN peacekeepers on patrol in Pibor, South Sudan. Related: UN Coordinator in Sudan warns of crisis (2 June 2014) Unamid peacekeeper killed, three injured in Kabkabiya, North Darfur (24 May 2014) USA, UK, Norway blame government for ‘intensifying conflict in Sudan’ (11 June 2014) Death toll 406; condemnation rises in massacre of Darfuris in Bentiu (21 April 2014)