For
the first time in the world, a survey ranks countries according to their
contribution to humanity and the Earth as a whole (rather than only to its own
citizens).
The
Good Country Index surveyed and ranked 125 countries on 35 indicators based on
those developed by the World Bank, United Nations, and other institutions
(National News, June 26m 2014). Indicators include the way a country responds
to issues such as education, health, science, war and peace, trade, culture, censorship,
environment, freedom, climate change, economic crises, terrorism, drug
trafficking, slavery, equality, and poverty. The seven main categories were:
(1) world order, (2) prosperity and equality, (3) planet and climate, (4)
health and well-being, (5) science, (6) technology, and (7) culture.
Indicators
cannot be measured in a single year, so the researchers collected data over a
period of 10 years with 2010 forming the baseline. The study was conducted by
Simon Anholt, University of Oxford scholar, and Robert Govers from the
Rotterdam School of Management.
Kenya
topped the list of African countries and was ranked 26 globally out of all 125
countries. It was fourth in Africa in the prosperity and equality category,
after Ghana, Zambia, and Botswana. Kenya received high scores for sending
peace-keeping troops to Somalia, hosting refugees, voluntary excess donations
to the World Health Organisation, internet security, international publications
in science and technology (in 2009), Nobel prizes, arms exports, pharmaceutical
exports, the number of United Nations volunteers abroad, humanitarian aid
donations, and charity giving. Kenya performed below average in dues in arrears
to UN peace-keeping budgets, creative services exports, patents, UN treaties signed,
carbon emissions, other greenhouse emissions, and food aid. Its lowest
performance was in the planet and climate category, even though Nairobi is the
location of the UN Environmental Program.
Libya
ranked last of the African countries, as well as globally.
Ireland
topped the Good Country Index, ranking best in the prosperity and equality category.
MARTINA NICOLLS is an international
aid and development consultant, and the author of:- The Shortness of
Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet
(2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).
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