July 8, 2025, 9:05 am | Read time: 7 minutes

What is the situation in Africa? Where is it safe, and in which countries is the situation deteriorating? The answer to this is provided by the Global Peace Index (GPI), published annually by the Institute for Economics and Peace. The African continent is divided into two regions in the index: the Middle East and North Africa, and sub-Saharan Africa.

The MENA region is once again the world’s least peaceful in 2025—a status it has held for ten years. Peace in the region has further deteriorated this year—by 0.17 percent. The most peaceful North African country is Tunisia, ranking 81st in the global list of 163 countries.

You can read all the information about the Middle East here: Where the Middle East and Its Neighboring Regions Are Most Dangerous—and Where It Is Becoming Safer.

Sub-Saharan Africa is the sixth most peaceful region out of eight worldwide. Its most peaceful state: Mauritius, ranked 26th globally—the only African country in the top 30 of the most peaceful countries. Peace in the sub-Saharan region has also recently declined, with a similar 0.17 percent deterioration. However, in this part of Africa, half of the countries worsened, while the other half became more peaceful. Four African countries are among the bottom ten in the global ranking: Mali, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Sudan.

Also of interest: Where Europe Has Become More Dangerous

Ongoing Conflicts, Terror, and Militarization in Africa

In the MENA region, it is particularly the area of ongoing conflicts that shows the greatest deterioration, with a 0.8 percent decline. Last year, the number of deaths from conflicts both within and outside the region increased, as did the conflicts themselves. Conflicts in Sudan, Palestine, and Syria, along with the resulting regional unrest, significantly impacted the local situation. There was a slight improvement in militarization, although military spending increased significantly.

In contrast, in sub-Saharan Africa, militarization significantly worsened: 23 of the 44 countries showed setbacks in 2024. At the same time, the area of conflicts, which do not stop at borders, also deteriorated. In the last five years, 36 of the 44 countries south of the Sahara have been involved in at least one external conflict, according to the GPI. Nevertheless, security in the region has recently improved. However, the countries are “facing multiple security crises,” particularly increasing political unrest and terrorism in the central Sahel zone, according to the index. Burkina Faso is the country with the highest terrorism burden worldwide. And it is not the only one there. Six of the ten countries with the greatest terrorism burden are in sub-Saharan Africa, according to the GPI.

The greatest improvements worldwide are seen in the indicator of perceived crime, especially in Africa. Five of the ten countries that perform best in this area are in the MENA region, according to the GPI. At the same time, eight of the ten worst-rated countries are in sub-Saharan Africa.

Mauritius Remains the Most Peaceful African Country

For the 18th consecutive year, Mauritius is the most peaceful country south of the Sahara and in all of Africa. It is also the only African country south of the Sahara that has not been involved in conflicts in the last six years. However, the situation in Mauritius has recently worsened by 1.5 percent, particularly due to declining developments in security and militarization.

At the same time, Mauritius has become politically more stable following the opposition’s victory and the smooth transition of power. According to the GPI, the peaceful transfer of power has strengthened democratic institutions. Additionally, economic growth and a strong tourism sector have contributed to the country’s stabilization.

Uganda Improves the Most

Uganda has made the most progress in peace in the sub-Saharan Africa region. The area of militarization stands out, with the country improving by 11.7 percent. Notably, according to the GPI, the indicator for deaths due to internal conflicts decreased from 74 in the previous year to four in 2024. The Global Peace Index speculates that this improvement may be linked to increased operations by the Ugandan Ministry of Defense against the Allied Democratic Forces.

Sudan Most Unpeaceful in the Middle East

Among all countries in the world’s most insecure region, the Middle East and North Africa, Sudan is the most unpeaceful, although “only” the third most unpeaceful worldwide. Last year, Sudan deteriorated by 0.54 percent. Particularly declining: internal conflicts, and consequently, the situation of refugees and internally displaced persons, as well as the indicator for nuclear and heavy weapons.

Amid the ongoing civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, violence and crime have also increased, according to the index. The conflict between the two parties broke out in April 2023. Since then, it has led to the displacement of millions of people and an estimated 6,800 deaths in the country. The situation on the ground was exacerbated by the fact that humanitarian and multilateral organizations could hardly operate safely due to increasing civil unrest and lawlessness.

Democratic Republic of the Congo Continues to Deteriorate

In sub-Saharan Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the weakest country in terms of peace. It is also the country that has deteriorated the most in this region, with a 4.5 percent decline. Ongoing conflicts, security, and militarization—all three major GPI areas have seen declines. The index explains that the country is currently at war with the March 23 Movement, which is reportedly supported by the Rwandan armed forces. The United Nations estimates that 3,000 to 4,000 Rwandan soldiers are currently fighting alongside the M23 rebels against government troops.

These Are the (Un)Safest Countries in Africa According to the Global Peace Index 2025

(in parentheses the ranking in the global list of 163 countries)

1. Mauritius (26)
2. Botswana (43)
3. Namibia (50)
4. Gambia (55)
5. Sierra Leone (57)
6. Madagascar (59)
7. Ghana (61)
8. Zambia (64)
9. Senegal (69)
10. Liberia (70)
11. Malawi (71)
12. Tanzania (73)
13. Angola (76)
14. Tunisia (81)
15. Equatorial Guinea (82)
16. Morocco (85)
17. Rwanda (91)
18. Algeria (92)
19. Ivory Coast (94)
20. Eswatini (99)
21. Guinea-Bissau (101)
22. Republic of the Congo (103)
23. Egypt (107)
24. Mauritania (110)
25. Benin (112)
26. Uganda (113)
27. Zimbabwe (114)
28. Gabon (117)
29. Guinea (118)
30. Lesotho (119)
31. Mozambique (121)
32. Djibouti (122)
33. South Africa (124)
34. Togo (126)
35. Kenya (127)
36. Libya (131)
37. Eritrea (132)
38. Burundi (133)
39. Chad (134)
40. Cameroon (137)
41. Ethiopia (138)
42. Niger (143)
43. Nigeria (148)
44. Central African Republic (150)
45. Somalia (151)
46. Burkina Faso (152)
47. Mali (154)
48. South Sudan (156)
49. Democratic Republic of the Congo (160)
50. Sudan (161)

More on the topic

Global Peace Index 2025 Where the Middle East and Adjacent Regions Are Most Dangerous–and Where It’s Getting Safer

Global Peace Index 2025 Where the Asia-Pacific Region Is Safe and Where It Becomes More Dangerous

Global Peace Index 2025 Where Europe Has Become More Dangerous

Economic Grievances in Sub-Saharan Africa

A topic that the Global Peace Index particularly examines is the economic grievances in sub-Saharan Africa. According to the GPI, countries in the region are facing “converging economic stress factors.” They particularly suffer from a combination of rising debt, inflation, youth unemployment, and food insecurity. The causes are complex. On one hand, they include the pandemic-induced economic downturn, and on the other, the global commodity inflation in 2022. Additionally, debt burdens have increased, mainly because rising global interest rates combined with weakening local currencies have significantly increased repayment costs.

According to the index, some governments have taken measures that have led to protests and unrest among the population. The GPI authors warn: “There is a risk that economic grievances could lead to broader anti-government movements.” One of the most notable trends in Africa over the past five years has been a series of military coups in West and Central Africa. Although each coup has its own context, a common underlying factor is the “widespread frustration of the population over the government’s failure, including the inability of elected leaders to deliver economic improvements and services.” In summary, the GPI states: “Stagnant economies with high unemployment, regional inequalities, and few prospects provided the military with the opportunity to seize power.”

Development Aid and Consequences of Cuts

According to the GPI, African countries south of the Sahara have been the largest recipients of public development aid for ten years. The aid is crucial for maintaining stability in the region, as well as for supporting essential services such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure.

It is expected that recent aid cuts, particularly the reduction of about 83 percent of USAID programs for the region in early 2025, will impact stability and development on the ground, the GPI warns. The cuts pose a serious risk to fragile states.