WASHINGTON — The Sultanate has beaten other Arab and African countries to take the top place in the region on the global stability index, according to a report.

In fact, the Sultanate is the only country in the region to figure in the list of most stable countries in the world, US-based Foreign Policy Magazine reported in its latest issue.

The study, which covered 177 countries, was done in collaboration with the US-based Fund for Peace. Using 12 social, economic, political and military indicators of state cohesion and performance, compiled through a close examination of more than 30,000 publicly available sources, the study ranked 177 states in order from most to least at risk of failure.

Factors

The report has placed the Sultanate among some of the stable countries in Western Europe, the United States, Canada, Argentina, Japan and South Korea. While Norway — the best in terms of stability — came in 177th, the Sultanate was placed 146th with 47.2 points in the indices used including economic condition, public services,
population density, massive movements and migration, parity in education and job opportunities.

The report is another evidence of good international reputation of the Sultanate. It supports the policies of the government which aim at making the Sultanate one of the major international hubs.

The study, meanwhile, warns that the global recession is sparking fears that multiple states could slip all at once into the ranks of the failing states.

“Now more than ever, failed-state triage could become a grim necessity for world leaders
from the United Nations and World Bank to US President Barack Obama’s
White House,” the report said.