Peace in the world is at its worst levels since World War II. The conflicts in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip are the main drivers, but not the only ones, that favor this tense geopolitical situation that, according to the Global Peace Index, could get worse.

“Our Global Peace Index data gives a clear warning about the ramifications of war and the potential expansion of conflict,” said Steve Killelea, founder and CEO of the Institute for Economics and Peace.

The world has its eyes on Ukraine and Gaza, but they are only two of the 56 currently active large-scale conflicts and up to 97 countries have worsened their peace levels from one year to the next, such as Nigeria, Myanmar, Burkina Faso, Iraq, North Korea, Somalia, Mali, Afghanistan, Yemen or Syria.

Wars that have caused more than 95 million refugees or internally displaced persons: “War places a heavy burden on all nations, depleting precious resources and inflicting profound human suffering.”

In fact, The global economic impact of violence increased last year to 17,500,000,000,000 euros, which represents 13.5% of world GDP. And the level of recruitment and arms investment is also alarming, with 108 countries increasingly militarized.