18 February 2009: In an address to the UN Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters, which is holding its 51st session from 18-20 February 2009, in New York, US, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed that progress towards disarmament would free up resources to meet other challenges.

He explained that a fraction of global military expenditures, which amount to about $1.3 trillion each year, could help tackle the food crisis and climate change, and assist in efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. He concluded by calling for cooperation to achieve a breakthrough in global disarmament discussions. [UN Press Release] [UN Secretary-General’s Statement]