New York, Sept 9 (Petra) – United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Tuesday that excessive military spending does not guarantee peace and often undermines it, fueling arms races, deepening distrust, and diverting resources from the foundations of stability.

Speaking at a press conference on the launch of his new report, titled "The Security We Need: Rebalancing Military Spending for a Sustainable and Peaceful Future," Guterres highlighted that "the world spends far more on waging wars than on building peace." He noted that global military expenditure reached a record $2.7 trillion in 2024, equivalent to $334 per person worldwide.

Guterres pointed out that this amount is nearly 13 times the total official development assistance from the world’s richest countries and 750 times the UN’s regular budget, warning that "our collective commitment to sustainable development is at risk," with only one out of five Sustainable Development Goals on track.

He stressed that "investing in people is investing in the first line of defense against violence in any society," noting that even a small portion of military spending redirected toward development could make a significant difference in people’s lives.

//Petra// AF