Ten Most Peaceful Countries in the World: Lessons for South Sudan
By Malith Alier, Juba, South Sudan
August 11, 2015 (SSB) — It is unfortunate that this writer has never had a chance to visit one of the most peaceful nations in the world. I from today will plan to visit at least one of them in three years to see for myself why these countries are what they are.
According to Global Peaceful Index (GPI) 2014, the above graded nations have certain reasons why they are peaceful amid world chaos of violent crime, war, disease, hunger and destitution. Some people believe that the world can’t be rid of violence, disease or hunger because God created man to sweat and suffer till dust he returns. On the contrary, the most peaceful nations of Iceland, Denmark, Austria, New Zealand, Switzerland, Finland, Canada, Japan, Belgium and Norway have proved something for the rest of the global community.
Ranked in that order, the most peaceful countries of the world have certain attributes to learn from;
I. High quality living standard
This does not come on its own people have to work harder and also smarter. One imagines that the percentage of lazy people in those countries is about 1 per cent. Nobody waits for father, uncle, brother or sister to provide for them after the 18th birthday. Careful management of national resources is another area they excel on.
II. High quality education
In some of those countries, the literacy rate is 100%. This means that the concerned countries heavily invest in education right from nursery to tertiary education. Quality education doesn’t need to be free but it should be affordable for all. Education has become everyday affair and nobody is denied right to schooling.
III. Free quality healthcare
Healthy people means healthy nation. Sickly people are less productive and that negatively impacts on overall development of any country.
IV. Zero corruption
If there is a single thing people cry about in South Sudan it is corruption. Corruption to those who have no access to national resources is the one that keeps this country retarded in terms of development and quality of life. To the elites and those who have access to national resources, corruption is a disease to be eliminated later. They always window dress the masses on fight against corruption.
V. Low level of violence and crime
A hungry man is an angry man so goes the adage. What makes people angry is poverty and despair or destitution. Of course violence and crime are symptoms of the above. In most peace loving nations people tend to be friendly, polite nature and sympathetic to others. Simply put people are tolerant to one another.
South Sudan has a friend in one of those most peaceful countries in the world. Norway has been working with the suffering people of this nation right from the eruption of violence in early 1980s to date. In fact Norway has just celebrated thirty years of friendship and service to the people of this country. It has become a strong advisor in the area of natural resources management particularly petroleum and mining sector.
There are no good reasons why South Sudan can’t learn from this giant of a nation. It was the people of Norway who had chosen to side with the people of South to assist them in return for nothing. The Norwegian doctors treated thousands of wounded SPLA combatants during the war years and the nation is grateful for that great service of humanity. This author was treated in one of NPA hospitals in Chukudum in 1995 along with other patients at that time. Not only that, it is even apparent that Norway assisted South Sudan SPLA in military logistics – something that no one openly talks about in the current situation. Our gratefulness is revealed by the fact that NPA is given the number 1 NGO plate after the signing of the peace agreement in 2005.
During this time, NPA realigned priorities commensurate to new realities on the ground. As it continuous to provide healthcare, it also provides capacity building in agriculture and mining as stated earlier. These are some of the areas critical to the South Sudanese economy as envisaged by South Sudanese people.
There is room for this country to be like Norway and to become one of the top most peaceful nations in the world. After all there is no reason not to be the happiest people in the universe.
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