In brief
In a stark warning about the consequences of escalating military expenditures, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized that current global military spending, projected to reach $6.6 trillion by 2035, detracts from vital investments in health and education. His latest report advocates for a rebalancing of budgets, urging countries to prioritize development to enhance international security. Guterres highlighted that spending shifts could close gaps in hunger, education, and healthcare, providing opportunities for economic growth and stability.
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Soaring global military expenditures are reducing essential investments in health, education, and job creation and do not guarantee peace, the United Nations chief warned on Tuesday.
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that heavy military spending often undermines peace by fueling arms races, deepening mistrust, and diverting resources from the very foundations of stability. With military spending surging to a record $2.7 trillion following a decade-long military buildup, the U.N. examined its impact on development goals for 2030. The report, titled “The Security We Need: Rebalancing Military Spending for a Sustainable and Peaceful Future,” is set to be discussed at the General Assembly meeting starting Sept. 22.
The 17 goals adopted by world leaders include ending global hunger, promoting good health, and providing quality education for every child while reducing inequalities worldwide. Guterres revealed that currently, only 35% of these goals are on track.
His report serves as a call to action for nations to rebalance budgets and spending, stressing that the current trajectory of military expenditure is “unsustainable.” “A more secure world begins by investing at least as much in fighting poverty as we do in fighting wars,” Guterres noted. He stressed that redirecting even a fraction of today’s military spending could close vital gaps, putting children in school, strengthening healthcare, expanding clean energy, and protecting vulnerable populations.
Indeed, only $93 million—less than 4% of last year's military spending—is required annually to end hunger by 2030. Additionally, funding 12 years of quality education for every child in low- and lower-middle-income countries would take just $5 trillion. Guterres argued for a fundamental reallocation of resources, highlighting that $1 billion spent in the military creates approximately 11,200 jobs, while the same amount in education creates 26,700 jobs, in clean energy 16,800, and 17,200 in healthcare.
If current trends continue, military spending could reach $6.6 trillion by 2035, warning of widespread increases across more than 100 nations in the past year. U.N. disarmament chief Izumi Nakamitsu emphasized the urgent need for reallocating global priorities for humanity’s survival.
Haoliang Xu, the U.N. Development Program’s acting administrator, echoed that development is indispensable for maintaining peace and security. He said that societies with high poverty levels often experience insecurity and violent conflicts. The U.N. seeks to start a serious dialogue among its 193 member nations and the public on how global security can be achieved through investments in development and economic growth.
