2025
The Crisis Management Annual Review provides insights from our regional crisis management specialists and features key topics and trends revealed by our in-house risk advisory and crisis support service, Alert:24. The review includes perspectives on the kidnap, extortion, accident and health, active assailant, maritime piracy, terrorism and political violence risks that are likely to characterize the year ahead.
In 2024, we saw the year of the elections – and much has changed. Governments have been decided and the world faced a multitude of regional conflicts and security challenges.
Africa and Latin America experienced notable upturns in incidents, with major crises like Israel’s invasion of southern Lebanon and the turmoil in Haiti contributing to these figures.
In Europe, social and economic grievances and geopolitical tensions, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict, propelled a surge in political unrest and violence.
The Middle East continued to grapple with the repercussions of the Assad regime’s collapse and Israel’s broadened campaigns against Iran. Interstate frictions and militancy threats, particularly in South Asian countries such as Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Pakistan, marked the Asia Pacific region.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, terrorism and conflict levels persisted at alarming rates, exacerbated by economic challenges.
While North America witnessed a downturn in mass shootings, the region remained on high alert against polarized politics and workplace violence.
2025 has some weighty global risks looming on the horizon. These include potential upheavals in trade and immigration due to political shifts in North America, economic strains and the specter of political unrest in Canada, and a continued high threat of terrorism from groups such as IS-KP.
The Middle East and North Africa are mired in instability and unrest, notably in Syria and between Israel and Lebanon.
Sub-Saharan Africa faces ongoing challenges with security, economics, and governance, with the Sudan conflict and the expansion of terrorist groups further complicating matters.
Europe is poised for a turbulent year, with security anxieties stemming from regional conflicts and internal discord, particularly in Germany. Additionally, the Russia-Ukraine dispute and the policies of the U.S. stand to disrupt both global trade and security.
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If you would like to delve deeper into any of the topics or regions covered by the review, please speak to your contact at Willis, a WTW business, or the contacts listed below.
