[E-rundbrief] Info 1426 - World Military Expenditure 2014

[Matthias Reichl]

E-Rundbrief - Info 1426 - Pax Christi International: World Military 
Expenditure 2014 - Military investment is still a significant global 
problem.

Bad Ischl, 13.4.2015

Begegnungszentrum für aktive Gewaltlosigkeit

www.begegnungszentrum.at

================================================

World Military Expenditure 2014 - Military investment is still a 
significant global problem

Pax Christi International

13.4.2015

On this Global Day of Action on Military Spending, 13 April 2015, Pax 
Christi International expresses deep concern about the scandal of 
excessive military spending in a world where human and ecological 
well-being are in dire need of investment. Figures recently published 
by SIPRI, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, 
estimate world military expenditures in real terms for 2014 at roughly 
$ 1.8 trillion, a significant increase from the already shocking $ 
1.75 trillion spent in 2013.

The top 10 spenders in 2014 are the United States (USA), China, 
Russia, Saudi Arabia, France, United Kingdom, India, Germany, Japan 
and South Korea. Although the USA has decreased its military 
expenditure to some extent due to limits imposed by Budget Control 
Act, China and Russia, but especially Saudi Arabia, have significantly 
increased their budgets.

While Western Europe’s military expenditures have continued to fall 
due to austerity measures, spending increased again in Central Europe, 
led by Poland. Military expenditures in Ukraine are significantly 
higher and there are signs that the crisis over Ukraine is leading to 
a further increase spending in many Central European and Nordic 
countries in 2015.

SIPRI figures point to large increases in military spending in Eastern 
Europe, including in Russia and Ukraine, in the Middle East and in 
Africa, both Northern and sub-Saharan. A significant increase is also 
evident in Asia and Oceania, led by China.

Pax Christi International is very concerned about and wishes to bring 
attention to the increasing military expenditures in the following 
regions and countries:

     Africa (significant increase). Top 5 spenders in 2014 are 
Algeria, Angola, Morocco, South Africa and Libya. Increasing military 
expenditure in Republic of Congo, Namibia, Zambia, Guinea, Sierra 
Leone, Tunisia, Seychelles, Algeria, Cape Verde, Tanzania and South Sudan.
     Middle East (significant increase). Top 5 spenders are Saudi 
Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Turkey, Israel and Iran. 
Increase in Lebanon and Iraq.
     Asia and Oceania (significant increase). Top 5 are China, Japan, 
India, South Korea and Australia. Increase in Brunei, Papua New 
Guinea, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan and Cambodia.
     Europe. Top 5 are Russia, France, United Kingdom, Germany and 
Italy. Increase in Ukraine, Montenegro, Poland and Malta.
     Central and South America. Top 5 are Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, 
Venezuela and Chili. Increase in Paraguay and Mexico.

Roughly three-quarters of all countries in the world imported major 
conventional weapons during 2010-2014. Just 10 countries accounted for 
roughly half of all imports of major conventional weapons during this 
period. The USA and Russia dominate global arms  exports concerning 
major conventional weapons. The USA accounted for 31 % and Russia has 
27 % of the market (2010 – 2014).



Middle East Conflicts Give Hefty Boost to Arms Merchants

The ongoing conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Libya, Yemen and 
Israel/Palestine have helped spiral arms sales to the Middle East 
upwards. The primary beneficiaries are the USA and Russia, whose 
overall arms exports show a marked increase through 2014, with China 
lagging behind.

Arms sales to Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states Bahrain, Qatar, 
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and the UAE increased by 71 % from 2005 to 
2009, accounting for 54 % of imports to the Middle East for the period 
2010 – 2014. Saudi Arabia rose to become the second largest importer 
of major weapons worldwide and increased the volume of its arms 
imports four times in recent years.

Several GCC states, specifically Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar, are 
significant suppliers of weapons, mostly unofficial and clandestine, 
to some of the warring factions in Syria, Libya, Iraq and Yemen. These 
states have rapidly modernized their militaries, primarily with arms 
from the USA and Europe. The GCC states, along with Egypt, Iraq, 
Israel and Turkey in the wider Middle East, are scheduled to receive 
further large orders of major arms in the coming years.

Pax Christi International is concerned that the ongoing conflicts in 
the Middle East and the former Soviet Union will provide ready markets 
for more arms transfers. Therefore, we call for more effective 
diplomatic efforts and political peace processes in dealing with these 
ongoing hot spots on our planet.



Disarmament for Development

Pax Christi International is convinced that, given political will, by 
reducing funding for the military sector, significant amounts of money 
could be made available for social and environmental projects, first 
of all domestically, but also in other countries, especially the poorest.

The re-allocation of funding from the production and trading of arms 
is essential to social and ecological justice. The disparity of 
resources between situations dedicated to human development or 
environmental protection and those dedicated to armaments is a 
fundamental injustice in the global political order. Re-allocation of 
resources from wasteful and dangerous weapons programs to the 
constructive and peaceful purposes of global human development and 
protecting the integrity of creation would undo shameful imbalances in 
public funding and institutional capabilities.

Governments should decrease their military spending and put peace and 
development at the centre of the Post-2015 Development Agenda. 
Although efforts have been made to promote a human security approach, 
there are still gaps between rhetoric and reality. Political 
authorities should do more regarding preventive diplomacy by investing 
in disarmament for development.

Pax Christi International has been advocating for demilitarisation and 
disarmament since its creation and keeps being active with different 
coalitions concerning conventional and non-conventional weapons. 
Military investment is a significant global problem which is 
frequently ignored.

Brussels, 13 April 2015

Links in the original text: 
http://www.paxchristi.net/news/world-military-expenditure-2014-military-investment-still-significant-global-problem/4467


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Matthias Reichl, Pressesprecher/ press speaker,
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