NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 1 8 — Kenya has been ranked 132nd out of 163 countries in the 2026 Global Peace Index, with the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) linking the country’s position to wider regional and global security challenges.

📻 Breaking It Down

Speaking at the launch of the 2026 Global Peace Index in Nairobi, Acting Australian High Commissioner to Kenya Andrew Barnes said security developments in one part of the world can have consequences far beyond national borders.

“In an increasingly interconnected world, events in one part of the globe can have consequences far beyond national borders, a reality that many countries in East Africa know well,” Barnes said.

Kenya scored 2.447 in the latest index, a change of -0.033 from the previous edition.

📌 What You Need to Know

The index assesses countries using 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators covering societal safety and security, ongoing domestic and international conflict, and militarisation.

IEP Founder and Executive Chairman Steve Killelea said Kenya’s position should be understood within the broader security dynamics affecting the region.

“Kenya’s position in the Global Peace Index 2026 should be understood within a broader regional and global context,” Killelea said.

He said the Horn of Africa was increasingly operating as a connected conflict environment, with developments in neighbouring countries having implications beyond their borders.

The report identifies the Horn of Africa as one of the clearest examples of multiple conflict-spread mechanisms operating simultaneously, including displacement, arms circulation, rebel sanctuaries, proxy warfare, ethnic mobilisation, illicit economies and weak state capacity.

The report defines the Horn of Africa as comprising Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, Djibouti and South Sudan. It says conflicts in the region are interconnected through several of these mechanisms, creating conditions in which instability can spread across borders.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya