UN Secretary-General Urges World Leaders to Fund Poverty Fight Over Warfare in New Year's Appeal
21:02 29.12.2025 (Updated: 21:04 29.12.2025)
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UN Secretary-General Urges World Leaders to Fund Poverty Fight Over Warfare in New Year's Appeal
Building a safer world requires greater investment in eradicating poverty and less in waging wars, Antonio Guterres said. He described a world at a crossroads, marked by violence and systematic breaches of international law.
"As we turn the page on a turbulent year, one fact speaks louder than words: global military spending has soared to $2.7 trillion, growing by almost 10%," he stated, noting this sum is 13 times the total development aid and equivalent to Africa's entire GDP.
Against the backdrop of conflicts raging at levels unseen since WWII, the UN chief urged for a correction of priorities.
"It’s clear the world has the resources to lift lives, heal the planet, and secure a future of peace and justice," Guterres concluded. "In 2026, I call on leaders everywhere: Get serious. Choose people and planet over pain."
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