Global military spending continued to grow in 2023, recording a 7% jump which represents the largest annual increase since 2009, according to a specialist institute.
What there is to know
According to a specialized institute, global military spending increased by 7% in 2023, which represents the largest annual increase since 2009.
Europe, Asia and the Middle East saw the largest percentage increases, but all major geographic regions considered followed the same trend.
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute believes that spending developments are a “direct response” to the deterioration of the security climate in many regions.
The most recent annual report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), released on Monday, indicates that an increase in spending was noted in all major geographic regions considered, bringing the total to a record level of 2443 billion US dollars (3350 billion Canadian dollars).
The United States, with 916 billion in spending, and China, a distant second with 296 billion, are responsible for almost half of the sum.
Nan Tian, one of those responsible for the analysis, said in an analysis published online that the observed situation represented a “direct response” to the geopolitical instability affecting many regions.
Many states are “prioritizing military power” by taking the risk of fueling an “action-reaction spiral” potentially with serious consequences, Mr. Tian warned.
Europe recorded a particularly significant increase in military spending of 16%, which reached 31% among the countries in the east of the continent. The war in Ukraine has pushed many states in the region to increase their spending in this area in order to support Kyiv against Russia while strengthening their own security.
SIPRI analysis shows that the Ukrainian regime increased its own military spending by 51% in one year to $64.8 billion. The total represented 37% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), an extremely high level compared to that of Russia, estimated at 5.9% in 2023.
Adding the $35 billion in military aid received from its allies, including $25 billion from the United States, Ukraine’s total military spending was 91 percent of Russia’s spending for the year. Washington’s contribution is expected to increase further soon, with the House of Representatives having approved on Saturday after months of blocking a $60 billion aid plan which should be quickly approved by the US Senate.
US military spending represented 68% of total NATO spending in 2023 while European countries contributed 28%. The remaining 4% came from Turkey and Canada.
Ottawa recorded military spending of US$27.2 billion last year, placing it 16e rank in importance in this field. The amount represented 1.3% of GDP, well below the 2% target set for the member countries of the Atlantic alliance.
The Eastern Hemisphere is also arming itself
Asia and Oceania also recorded a substantial increase in military spending in 2023, of around 4.4%, which is partly a reaction to Chinese ambitions, according to SIPRI.
The institute notes that Japan and Taiwan increased their own spending by 11% last year, compared with 6% for Beijing. The communist regime has increased the sums invested in the military every year for three decades.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has repeatedly expressed his conviction that Taiwan is an integral part of China and has repeatedly warned the Taipei government about any desire for independence.
The Middle East, shaken by several conflicts, also recorded a marked increase in military spending in 2023. They reached 200 billion US dollars, an overall increase of 9%.
Israel, which is carrying out a large-scale military offensive in the Gaza Strip in response to the Hamas attack on October 7, saw its spending increase by 24% to $27.5 billion.
Saudi Arabia, at $75.8 billion, is the only country in the region, according to SIPRI, with higher military spending. The regime of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been engaged in a military offensive in Yemen for several years.
Iran, Israel’s declared enemy, earmarked $10.3 billion for military spending in 2023, an increase of 0.6% from the previous year.
reference: www.lapresse.ca