Dear Members of the media, good morning.
We are just learning about the Israeli attacks in Qatar – a country that has been
playing a very positive role to achieve a ceasefire and the release of all hostages.
I condemn this flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Qatar.
All parties must work towards achieving a permanent ceasefire, not destroying it.
Today’s breaking news underscores the importance of the report that we launch today.
It lays bare a stark reality:Ìý the world is spending far more on waging war than in building peace.Ìý
In 2024, global military spending surged to a record $2.7 trillion– the equivalent of $334 for every person on Earth. Ìý
That is nearly thirteen times the amount of official development assistance from the world’s wealthiest nations – and 750 times the regular budget of the United Nations.
At the same time, our shared promise of sustainable development is in jeopardy.Ìý
Only one in five Sustainable Development Goal targets is on track. The financing gap is growing – and so is the cost of inaction.
Governments have legitimate security responsibilities – protecting civilians, safeguarding critical infrastructure, and addressing immediate threats.Ìý But lasting security cannot be achieved by military spending alone.Ìý
My report – requested under the Pact for the Future – is a call to action.Ìý A call to rethink priorities.Ìý A call to rebalance global investments toward the security the world truly needs.
It delivers three urgent messages:Ìý
First, the current trajectory is unsustainable. Around the world, soaring military expenditures are adding pressure to what was already a strained financial context – crowding out essential investments in health, education, job creation, protecting people from droughts and floods, and expanding opportunities for women and young people. Ìý
Investing in people is investing in the first line of defense against violence in any society.Ìý
Second, a better path is within reach. Budgets are choices.Ìý Redirecting even a fraction of today’s military spending could close vital gaps – putting children in school, strengthening primary health care, expanding clean energy and resilient infrastructure, and protecting the most vulnerable.
Third, we need practical steps to rebalance.Ìý By putting diplomacy first.Ìý And ensuring transparency and accountability in defence budgets while boosting financing for development.Ìý
The evidence is clear: excessive military spending does not guarantee peace.
It often undermines it – fueling arms races, deepening mistrust, and diverting resources from the very foundations of stability.
A more secure world begins by investing at least as much in fighting poverty as we do in fighting wars.Ìý
Thank you. And I leave you the competent hands of my colleagues that had a decisive role in the preparation.
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