Published May 15, 2012 | By Samantha Levine

Economic pressures currently present a challenge to the country’s stability. Timor-Leste relies heavily on international assistance, especially to feed its population, and is unlikely to become self-reliant in the near future. A key area for economic improvement is building domestic production facilities in order to tackle the nation’s high rate of unemployment. While political tensions have improved in the past year, political transition after the elections in 2012 will test the country’s stability. Successful elections could result in the full withdrawal of the UN peacekeeping force in Timor-Leste, which would put sole responsibility of governance in the hands of the Timorese for the first time in 13 years. Focus on strengthening institutions and the rule of law will continue to be sorely needed.

Published December 15, 2011 | By Kristen Blandford

Timor-Leste, one of the world’s youngest nations, remains extremely fragile. Economic pressures currently present a challenge to the country’s stability, as high rates of unemployment and oil dependence indicate that current growth is likely to be unsustainable. Timor-Leste relies heavily on international assistance, especially to feed its population, and is unlikely to become self-reliant in the near future. A key area for economic improvement is building domestic production facilities in order to generate more jobs. Diversification of the economy will also be important, as profits from Timor-Leste’s oil industry will not be able to solve the country’s problems. While political tensions have improved in the past year, polarization could quickly reverse progress made thus far. Focus on strengthening institutions and the rule of law will continue to be sorely needed.

June 20, 2011
By J. J. Messner
The Failed States Index

If the Failed States Index were a championship, then Somalia would be the undisputed four-time champion (or cellar-dweller, depending on how you look at it). In the seven years of the Failed States Index, Somalia has had the ignominious distinction of occupying the worst spot for the past four years straight. Despite having a relatively functional and pretty much autonomous ‘state’ in the north, Somaliland, the country as a whole still manages to score badly enough to make up for that glimmer of unrecognized hope. Worse still, the country is in no danger of losing its position anytime soon. A combination of widespread lawlessness, ineffective government, terrorism, insurgency, crime, abysmal development and a penchant for inconveniencing the rest of the world by taking their merchant vessels hostage has given Somalia a score that – much as they seem to try – neither Chad, Sudan, Zimbabwe nor the Democratic Republic of Congo can hope to match.