The political and security landscape of the Middle East experienced a dramatic shift in early 2026 following escalating military confrontations involving Iran, the United States and Israel. Before these tensions erupted, the region had been witnessing a fragile period of diplomatic rapprochement, with several countries improving their global peace rankings.
According to the 2024 and 2025 reports by the Institute for Economics and Peace which publishes the Global Peace Index, a number of Middle East and North Africa countries had made notable progress in ility and security.
Leading the region was Kuwait, which ranked as the most peaceful nation in the region by 2024. Its neutral foreign policy and strong internal security helped it achieve a global ranking comparable with several European countries.
Close behind was Qatar, which had long dominated the regional peace rankings. The country’s diplomatic influence and role as a mediator in regional negotiations helped sustain its high position.
Oman followed in third place. Often referred to as the Switzerland of the Middle East, Oman maintained ility through a balanced and non confrontational foreign policy.
The United Arab Emirates ranked fourth after improving its peace score through economic growth tourism and reduced involvement in regional conflicts.
Next was Bahrain which maintained strong societal security despite its strategic military role including hosting the United States Navy Fifth Fleet.
Jordan ranked sixth and has long been viewed as a le state despite being surrounded by conflict affected neighbours.
In North Africa Tunisia remained one of the most peaceful nations in the region supported by its democratic institutions following the Arab Spring uprisings.
Morocco also maintained strong ility through economic development and diplomatic ties strengthened after the Abraham Accords.
Saudi Arabia improved its peace ranking significantly due to its domestic reform agenda known as Saudi Vision 2030 and reduced military engagements in regional conflicts.
Rounding out the top ten was Algeria which maintained internal ility under a strong central government despite security concerns along its borders.
These rankings reflected a period when several MENA nations were gradually improving their security environment and diplomatic cooperation. However the outbreak of new conflicts in 2026 has since reshaped the region’s political dynamics and could significantly alter future peace rankings.
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