Global military expenditure reached a record $2.7 trillion in 2024, according to a report by UN Secretary‑General António Guterres. The surge reflects intensifying conflicts and rising geopolitical tensions worldwide. Guterres warned that the world is allocating far more resources to warfare than to building peace.
The report shows that spending on security needs increased across all five global regions in 2024, marking the steepest year‑on‑year rise in the past three decades. By contrast, the amount spent on military budgets could eradicate extreme poverty for roughly $300 billion. Guterres stressed that investing in poverty reduction is essential, stating, “a more secure world begins by investing at least as much in fighting poverty as we do in fighting wars.”
Military expenditure in 2024 is 750 times the UN’s regular budget and almost 13 times the development assistance provided by the OECD in the same year, highlighting a stark trade‑off between defence spending and sustainable development. Guterres noted that redirecting even a fraction of current military outlays could fill critical gaps in education, healthcare, clean energy and infrastructure, thereby protecting the most vulnerable populations.
The UN estimates that a modest portion of the investment in militaries over the past year and decade could fund education for every student in low‑ and lower‑middle‑income countries, eliminate child malnutrition globally, and support climate‑change adaptation in the developing world. Such reallocation would bring the international community closer to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The report calls for a more human‑centered approach that prioritises diplomacy, international cooperation and sustainable development. UN Disarmament Chief Izumi Nakamitsu emphasized that excessive military spending does not guarantee peace; instead, it fuels arms races, deepens mistrust and diverts resources from the foundations of stability. UNDP Deputy Chief Haoliang Xu added that development drives security and that multilateral cooperation can foster more peaceful societies.
The significance of the report lies in its call to rebalance global priorities, investing in development and sustainable security to reduce the reliance on military spending. As tensions and conflicts continue to rise, the UN’s appeal for a more sustainable and peaceful approach becomes an urgent imperative for humanity’s survival.
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