The 2026 Global Peace Index, launched in Nairobi, reveals that global peace has deteriorated in 99 countries this year, the highest number recorded in the 20-year history of the index. The number of active conflicts has reached its highest level since the end of the Second World War. The report, produced by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), indicates that peacefulness has declined for the 12th consecutive year, with more countries now involved in conflicts beyond their borders.
Kenya, however, has improved its position, ranking 132nd out of 163 countries and territories. Despite this, the report warns that Kenya's stability remains increasingly tied to developments beyond its borders. The IEP Founder and Executive Chairman, Steve Killelea, noted that Kenya's experience is a reminder that no country's peace can be considered separately from its region or the wider world.
The Horn of Africa is a significant concern, with conflicts in Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan, and Somalia increasingly interconnected, creating wider security and economic risks across the region. The report links these conflicts through refugee movements, illicit financial flows, external actors, cross-border insecurity, and economic disruption. This has resulted in growing threats to humanitarian personnel, with over 300 deaths reported in 2025.
The Australian Acting High Commissioner to Kenya, Andrew Barnes, emphasized that events occurring far beyond national borders can quickly affect security, livelihoods, and economic stability at home. He noted that the Global Peace Index remains one of the world's most important tools for understanding peace, not simply as the absence of violence, but as a foundation for prosperity, resilience, and human progress.
The index also examines the impact of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, on warfare, raising questions around human agency, accountability, and respect for international humanitarian principles. Barnes stressed that preventing conflict before it escalates requires stronger international institutions, regional cooperation, and sustained investment in peacebuilding.
Kenya has continued to play a role in regional peace and security through mediation, humanitarian assistance, peace operations, and regional organizations. Australia has provided over AU$110 million in humanitarian assistance across the Horn of Africa since 2022 and has committed AUD4 million to the UNHCR to support Kenya's Shirika Plan and over AUD60 million to the OCHA Sudan Humanitarian Fund.
The 2026 edition of the Global Peace Index marks its 20th anniversary, ranking 163 countries and territories and examining the drivers of peace, conflict, and resilience. The Nairobi launch brought together government officials, diplomats, security actors, UN agencies, academia, civil society, and private-sector representatives to examine the implications of the findings for Kenya and the wider region.
Key points
- Kenya ranks 132nd out of 163 countries in the 2026 Global Peace Index.
- Global peace has deteriorated in 99 countries this year, the highest number recorded in the 20-year history of the index.
- The Horn of Africa is a significant concern, with conflicts in Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan, and Somalia increasingly interconnected.
