‘South Africa has significantly worsened in 10 years’ – Fragile States Index

Released by the Fund for Peace‚ the 2016 report states: “The 10-year trends of the Fragile States Index demonstrate a mix of near self-evident cases‚ as well as a number of other negative trends that bear further monitoring. The four most worsened countries over the past decade probably come as little surprise – Libya‚ Syria‚ Mali‚ and Yemen‚ which have all experienced internal conflict and strife.

“But the performance of some other countries that have worsened the most in the past decade should perhaps serve as a warning.

“South Africa‚ for example‚ long heralded as an economic engine of Africa and certainly the most developed nation on the continent‚ is also demonstrating significantly worsening trends in line with deepening political divisions and social unease‚ including increasing protests and civil disturbances.”

SA is placed on a warning category alongside countries like Kazakhstan‚ Cuba and Brazil.

Criteria for the ranking include state legitimacy‚ poverty and economic decline‚ brain drain‚ delivery of basic services‚ uneven economic development and group grievance (protest actions).

The world’s 10 most fragile states on the index are Somalia‚ South Sudan‚ Central African Republic‚ Sudan‚ Yemen‚ Syria‚ Chad‚ Democratic Republic of Congo‚ Afghanistan and Haiti.