BY PATRICIA TAFT* The coastal state of Cross River in the southeastern part of Nigeria is home to approximately 2.9 million people (2006 census), predominantly of Efik, Ejagham and Bekwarra background. One of the fastest growing states in Nigeria, Cross River is endowed with vast mineral resources, plentiful arable land, and a growing number of […]
Category Archives: People
Voices of Peace from Nigeria: Children in Conflict
- 08 July 2014
BU LAURA BRISARD When there is conflict, the entire community is affected. The most vulnerable, however, are children. Two members of the Partners for Peace network tell their stories about what happened to them more than 40 years ago, when they were little children during the Biafran War. These events may have occurred a long […]
Measuring South Sudan: How Soon is Too Soon?
- 06 July 2014
BY J.J. MESSNER Every year the Fragile States Index (FSI) receives its fair share of compliments and criticism, the former often from those who wish to highlight and measure the challenges faced by countries, the latter often from those whose interests or sensibilities have been offended. This is par for the course for any organization […]
Predicting the World Cup (Assuming State Fragility Had Anything To Do With It)
- 03 July 2014
BY J.J. Messner* Fund for Peace – Global Square Blog The Fragile States Index (FSI) is serious business, and it requires serious analysis and contemplation. Though the findings of the FSI should not be made light of, there is another pretty serious business going on right now: the World Cup. What if we combined these […]
Ten Years of the Fragile States Index
- 24 June 2014
BY J.J. MESSNER Now with ten years of data from the Fragile States Index (FSI), we have the opportunity to look back on a decade of trends. Though it is useful and informative to view countries’ performances in a given year, it really is just a snapshot in time. Viewing short term trends from year-to-year […]
Most Worsened (Non-Top 10) Country for 2014: Syria
- 24 June 2014
BY KENDALL LAWRENCE Syria’s civil war continued to intensify over 2013. The Syrian Army and allied Hezbollah forces faced off over the course of the year with numerous rebel factions, all supported by different external actors. The government recaptured the town of Qusair, but lost a major stronghold in Khan al-Assal in the west of […]
Most Improved Country for 2014: Iran
- 24 June 2014
BY FELIPE UMANA Iran, despite its hefty domestic and international political issues and obdurate theocratic government, has taken several gradual but important steps to improve its standing on the world stage over the past year. These improvements, which occurred in all but one of the twelve indicators analyzed, have made it the 2014 Fragile States […]
The World’s Ten Most Fragile States in 2014
- 24 June 2014
BY KENDALL LAWRENCE Identifying and exploring the fragility of states creates the opportunity to address how they might be able to combat pressures in the future. Learning what pressures states have been able (or unable) to reduce in the past year gives insight into the capacities that exist (or do not) within each state and […]
Failed States Index 2014: Somalia Displaced as Most-Fragile State
- 24 June 2014
BY J.J. MESSNER As much as the 2014 Fragile States Index is significant for being the tenth anniversary of the Index (and for being the first to be named “Fragile States Index” rather than “Failed States Index”), it is especially notable for the change at the top: after six years in the number one position, […]
A Decade of Recovery: Bosnia and the Balkans Bounce Back
- 24 June 2014
BY LAURA BRISARD Fragile States Index 2014 A decade of Fragile States Index (FSI) data gives the opportunity to focus on the parts of the world that are truly improving. Two countries nearly tied for most-improved country of the past decade: Bosnia & Herzegovina (BiH) and Indonesia. The Fund for Peace has previously covered the […]