The Director-General of the World Health Organisation, Tedros Ghebreyesus, has criticised the level of global military spending, highlighting that the world’s priorities remain skewed as millions continue to face hunger.
Ghebreyesus, in a post on X on Wednesday, noted that global military expenditure reached $2.7 trillion in a single year, contrasting this with United Nations estimates of the funding needed to end hunger worldwide.
He pointed out that, according to UN figures, about $93 billion annually would be required to eliminate global hunger by 2030.
The WHO chief stressed that this comparison shows the world spends nearly 30 times more on military operations than on ensuring access to food for all.
His post read, “Global military expenditure just hit $2.7 trillion — in a single year. According to @UN estimates, ending world hunger by 2030 would require $93 billion annually. That means we spend almost 30 times more every year on killing each other than on making sure everyone eats.
“Numbers don’t lie. Our priorities do.”
He emphasised that the disparity underscores a global failure to adequately tackle one of the most urgent humanitarian issues.
Ghebreyesus’s remarks come as defence budgets rise in several countries, driven by geopolitical tensions and conflicts around the world.
The United Nations has repeatedly warned that hunger and food insecurity remain widespread, with millions facing acute shortages due to conflict, climate change, economic instability, and displacement.
Global leaders have pledged under the UN Sustainable Development Goals to end hunger by 2030, but experts say this goal requires stronger political commitment and increased financial investment in food security programmes.
