Global Day of Action on Military Spending.

The world’s military spending reaches 1.8 billion dollars

In Spain, for the first time since the crisis started in 2008, there has been an increase in the military budget

Coinciding with the Global Day of Action on Military Spending, today, SIPRI published their annual military spending report in 2014, in which confirms the world’s military spending and in real terms for three consecutive years although it is only 0.5%. In any case, the world’s military spending continues to have the huge sum of 1.8 billion dollars. While there is a reduction of budgets in Western defence, for austerity policies in Western Europe and budgets limitations of the United States, this seems to balance out the increase of military spending in Africa, Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

Within the States that spend the most on defence, the United States, is the country with the highest budget for military issues. The next top three countries in the world ranking are China, Russia, and Saudi Arabia, have increased their military spending in 2014. In the top ten military budgets the main European powers remain (France, United Kingdom, and Germany), India, Japan, and South Korea.

In Europe, while the Western countries budgets do not change or lightly decrease, the countries in central Europe have increased their defense budgets. While the Ukraine crisis has not influenced the budgets for defence- except in Ukraine – there are signs of increase in 2015 in countries of central and northern Europe.

In Spain, for the first time since the crisis in 2008 there has been an increase in military budget. The Spanish government has presented a defence budget for 2015 that has an increase of 1.1%. In addition to other budgets in recent years, the budget for the Ministry of defence is undervalued, being that the military spending is probably going to be 30% higher than estimated, because of the other budget items given to the Special Programs of Armament, to the cost of overseas military operations and the increase of military R&D spending. The real military spending for 2015 is probably going to reach 17,000 million euros, 4% of the budget, 353 euros per person.

In context of dismantling the Welfare State and continuous cuts on social policies, we cannot allow more of the public money going to the military sector. The Study Centre for Peace J.M. Delàs is a promoting member of the Global Campaign on Military Spending GDAMS, fight for the reduction of military spending to invest on welfare spending.

Last publications

Informe 67: Securitització a les ciutats. Estudi de quatre casos i anàlisi des d’una perspectiva de pau, drets i seguretat humana

Informe 66: “La Banca Armada y su corresponsabilidad en el genocidio en Gaza. La financiación de las empresas que fabrican las armas usadas en las masacres contra la población palestina”

Report 65: “Peace and Disarmament in Europe: For shared détente, peace and security”

Issue Briefing from Transnational Institute, Stop Wapenhandel and Tipping Point North South, copublished by Centre Delàs d’Estudis per la Pau: “Climate on the Crosshairs: “The planetary impact of NATO’s spending increases”