Responding to a request from UN Member States in the Pact for the Future, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has issued a report analyzing the impact of the global increase in military spending on the achievement of the SDGs. The report calls for “a fundamental shift in how we understand and pursue security,” advocating for a human-centered, multidimensional approach rooted in human rights and sustainable development.
Titled, ‘The Security We Need: Rebalancing Military Spending for a Sustainable and Peaceful Future,’ the report reveals that in 2024, global military spending reached an all-time high of USD 2.7 trillion. “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,” said the Secretary-General in his remarks to the press on the release of the report. Conversely, the SDG annual financing gap stands at USD 4 trillion – and could reach USD 6.4 trillion in the coming years.
The report cautions that while increased military expenditure does not necessarily result in greater peace or stability, it “crowd[s] out resources essential for social investment, poverty reduction, education, health, environmental protection and infrastructure.” At the same time, a UN press release notes, reinvesting 15%, or USD 387 billion, of the global military spending “is more than enough to cover the annual costs of climate change adaptation in developing countries.”
The report underscores the need for a course correction in global approaches to security and development and for a reversal of “the dual trends of rising military expenditure and widening development financing gaps.” It outlines a five-point agenda for action for Member States and the international community:
- Prioritize diplomacy, peaceful settlement of disputes, and confidence-building measures to address the underlying causes of growing military expenditure through 2030;
- Bring military expenditure to the fore of disarmament discussions and improve links between arms control and development;
- Promote transparency and accountability around military expenditure to build trust and confidence among Member States and increase domestic fiscal accountability;
- Reinvigorate multilateral finance for development; and
- Advance a human-centered approach to security and sustainable development.
The report argues that “[r]ebalancing global priorities is not just a matter of fiscal prudence” but an imperative for humanity’s survival.
Inputs and consultations with Member States, specialized UN entities, research institutions, civil society organizations (CSOs), and other stakeholders informed the report. It was published on 9 September 2025, ahead of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) High-Level Week. [Publication: The Security We Need: Rebalancing Military Spending for a Sustainable and Peaceful Future] [Report Overview] [Key Messages] [Publication Landing Page] [UN Press Release]