Page 169 - Abhivruddhi

IV] Regional impact
With the changing nature of conflicts, it has been observed that unlike
the major wars the world has witnessed, conflicts in present times are
concentrated in some regions whereas other regions are recorded as
peaceful. While certain regions Asia-Pacific ($2.86 trillion), North
America ($2.72 trillion) and Europe ($2.31 trillion) are the regions with
the largest impact (According to the 2018 report). The significant costs
in these regions are primarily comprised of military expenditure and
internal security spending. Central America and the Caribbean have
seen the greatest increase in economic impact but the primary factors
responsible for violence are crimes and homicides. The second-largest
economic impact is on South Asia due to the increased terrorist activities
and internal conflicts in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The Global Peace Index report of 2019 declared the region of the
Middle East and North Africa as the least peaceful region in the world.
The economic cost of violence in the region has increased to $1.79 trillion
(acc to 2017 data). Due to the ongoing war in Iraq and conflicts going on
in countries like Yemen, Syria and Libya, the impact has increased by 55%
from 2011 to 2016. Geopolitical tensions, ongoing conflicts and terrorism
are the causes for such heavy violent activities and military expenditure
consists of nearly 50% followed by armed conflicts at 21% of the economic
costs. In 2017, eight countries from the region were participating in direct
conflict with other nation or suffering from internal conflicts. However,
there have been improvements in 11 countries. The most peaceful country
in the region is Qatar and the least peaceful country is Syria. Also, there is
a lesser impact on the civil population as localization of conflict in Syria
and Libya has been carried out along with the moving population in large
numbers away from the warzones.
The region of South Asia is the second least peaceful region in the
world following the Middle East and North Africa accounting to $1.52
trillion of economic impact and it has increased by 5% in 2017 due to
increasing conflicts in Afghanistan. Military expenditure and internal
security costs arising due to internal conflicts and terrorism are reasons
for the increased economic costs. In contrast, Bhutan and Sri Lanka have
witnessed a decline in the economic costs of violence since 2009.
Russia and Eurasia are less peaceful than the global average, but they
have managed to improve their peace rank in 2018-19. Russia accounts
for 80 per cent of the economic costs of the region due to its size and
power. Hence, regional changes in the economic cost of violence are

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