Giving Compass' Take:

• The Fragile States Index examines five countries: Iraq, Mexico, Poland, United States, and Yemen to look at noticeable trends between 2017 and 2018 as well as areas of improvement.  

• How many countries are affected or become 'increasingly fragile' due to unstable government leaders? 

• Read about why state fragility is considered a global development issue. 

A deep dive into the data behind this year’s Fragile State Index, created by the Fund for Peace, reveals five important trends for world peace in 2018.

After Battle Against ISIS, Iraq Takes Slow Steps to Stability

Iraq is ranked the 11th most fragile state, up one spot from 2017. However, it still faces multiple challenges, including unstable governance, sectarian violence, Kurdish separatist goals, and a poor economy. But the FSI has noted some areas of progress that can be credited to ISIS’s diminishing role in the country.

A Potential Positive Trend in Mexico

A brief look at what happened in Mexico throughout 2017 paints a very different picture. The state passed legislation allowing the Mexican military to act as law enforcement, and corruption was rampant across the nation. Natural disasters, including two deadly earthquakes, destroyed infrastructure and left thousands displaced from their homes.

Poland Moves to the Far-Right

Poland has steadily become a more fragile state in recent years. Poland jumped five spots on the FSI to the position of 148th most fragile country, with the biggest changes in stability seen in the Human Rights indicator, the Group Grievance indicator, and the State Legitimacy indicators.

Worsening Cohesion and Group Grievance in the U.S.

The Factionalized Elites and Group Grievance indicators have steadily increased, and indicators such as Demographic Pressure and State Legitimacy have climbed rapidly. While the country’s overall score has been unpredictable over the past 10 years, the election of Trump has sent the U.S. into steady decline on the Fragility Index.

Crisis in Yemen

Yemen has become increasingly unstable over the past year, bringing its rank to the third most fragile country, compared to fourth in 2017, topped only by South Sudan and Somalia, according to the FSI.

Read the full article about state fragility by Hashem Osseiran and Natalie Sikorski at News Deeply