SIPRI projects military spending to rise in 2025 as world hunger rises

The world continues to arm itself. According to the new annual report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) , total global military spending reached a record $2.887 billion in 2025 , a 2.9% increase in real terms compared to the previous year. In absolute terms, this represents an increase of $81 billion compared to 2024.

This figure reinforces a now structural trend: the world is in its 11th consecutive year of growing military spending, with an overall increase of 41% compared to ten years ago. This shows a priority given to militaries over social development and the survival of the planet.

Three countries alone are worth more than half the world

Data provided by SIPRI paint a picture of growing global tension, in which just three countries – the United States, China, and Russia – alone absorb 51% of all global military spending , for a total of $1.48 trillion.

The most alarming element of the report is the dizzying growth in Europe (+14%) and in Asia and Oceania (+8.1%) .

Europe has embarked on the most massive rearmament since the fall of the Berlin Wall.

As many as 343 million people suffer from acute hunger: 27 billion are needed

Faced with these staggering numbers, PeaceLink wanted to propose an exercise in truth, comparing the cost of death with that required to save human lives.

According to the most recent estimates by the UN agencies (FAO, WFP, and IFAD), eliminating acute hunger in the world—which currently affects 343 million people who are at risk of famine due to war, climate change, and economic collapse—would require between $17 and $43 billion a year . A joint ZEF and FAO study from 2024 estimates that $27 billion annually is needed to lift 500 million people out of hunger by 2030.

To structurally and permanently eradicate chronic hunger—which still affects between 638 and 720 million people worldwide— $267 billion a year would be needed . A huge sum, certainly. But it represents only 0.3% of global GDP and less than a tenth of annual global military spending .

The shocking comparison: one year's increase is enough for three times

For an even more striking comparison: the increase in military spending recorded in 2025 alone ($81 billion) would be enough to cover almost three times the annual amount needed to defeat acute hunger in the world .

According to the most recent estimates by UN agencies (FAO, WFP and IFAD), eliminating world hunger would require an annual investment of between 27 and 43 billion dollars in emergency interventions, while a structural and definitive eradication of the problem would require higher figures.

World hunger numbers

The WFP (World Food Programme) has repeatedly pointed out that the amount needed for emergency interventions—about $17 billion—is equivalent to what the world spends on coffee in just two weeks . And the $267 billion for permanent "Zero Hunger" represents just 0.3% of the income of high-income countries.

The truth is that hunger isn't a problem of costs: it's a problem of priorities. And these SIPRI figures clearly show the true priorities of most global policymakers.

Here is a summary of the different estimates for comparison.

When we talk about hunger, we're not referring to a phenomenon that's decreasing but rather one that's growing . The number of people suffering from acute hunger has almost doubled since 2016. And there's a child emergency: 35.5 million children suffered from acute malnutrition in 2025, nearly 10 million of whom suffered from the severe, lethal form.

Nine children die every minute.

The SIPRI report finally highlights that global military spending has reached 2.5% of world GDP , the highest level since 2009. NATO is pushing to further raise the target to 3% for member countries.

Meanwhile, every minute around 9 children under the age of five die in the world . This is the shocking figure that emerges from the latest UNICEF report, published in March 2026, which estimates that 4.9 million children will not have reached the age of five in 2024 alone. It is a silent emergency that, in the time of a breath, extinguishes a life: 9 children every 60 seconds .

The vast majority of these deaths are due to preventable and treatable diseases (such as pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria, or neonatal complications) and malnutrition . According to the UNIGME 2024 report, malnutrition is a contributing factor in approximately 45% of these deaths . And while these tragedies unfold in silence, armed conflicts add a further blood toll: in 2024, at least 4,676 children were killed directly by war violence .

To give a clearer picture, here is an estimate of the number of children who die every day and every minute due to hunger, disease and war, according to the most recent data from the source cited here:

PeaceLink sends a message: "Every billion dollars allocated to weapons is a billion dollars diverted from healthcare, education, the fight against the climate crisis, and hunger. The choice is political. We demand a change of direction: progressive disarmament and a major global plan to combat hunger and address health emergencies, funded with resources that can reasonably be diverted from the arms race. Every minute, approximately nine children under the age of five die worldwide. This is the shocking figure that emerges from the latest UNICEF report, published in March 2026. Given these numbers, it is hypocritical to say there isn't the money to save them. It's not a problem of resources, it's a choice of political cynicism. An indecent, obscene choice."

Sources

Below is a list of the main official sources from which the data used on this website was drawn. The sources are organized by topic, with a brief description of the data and the reference paragraph of the article for easy reference.

1. Infant mortality (under-five)

Main source : UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA/Population Division – United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME)

• Levels and Trends Levels and Trends in Child Mortality Report 2025 Child Mortality Report 2025

  • Data : 4.9 million children under 5 years of age died in 2024, including 2.3 million newborns. Additionally, 2.1 million children, adolescents, and young people aged 5–24 years died in 2024. .

  • Official website : UN IGME – Child Mortality Estimates (CME Info) and UNICEF Data: Child Mortality .

  • Article reference paragraph : How many children die in the world every minute from hunger, disease and war? and Hunger and malnutrition .

2. Hunger and food security

a) Acute hunger and food crises (GRFC)

Key source : Global Network Against Food Crises (GNAFC) – an international network that includes the European Union, FAO and WFP.

• Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC) 2026 (released April 2026)

  • Data : In 2025, 266 million people in 47 countries were acutely food insecure (IPC/CH Phase 3 or above). Approximately 1.4 million people in 6 countries/territories were in Catastrophe (IPC/CH Phase 5) conditions, with famine confirmed in parts of the Gaza Strip and Sudan. .

  • Official website : Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC) .

• Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC) 2025 (covering 2024)

  • Data : In 2024, 295.3 million people in 53 countries experienced high levels of acute food insecurity. This number tripled compared to 2016 and doubled compared to 2020. Conflict is the leading cause, with 140 million people affected in 20 countries. .

  • Article paragraph : Hunger, conflict and famine and Global hunger figures on the rise .

b) Chronic hunger (SOFI)

Main source : FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP, WHO – The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World .

• SOFI 2025 (released July 2025, covers 2024 data)

  • Data : In 2024, approximately 673 million people worldwide suffered from chronic hunger, equivalent to 8.3% of the world's population. Hunger is increasing in Africa and Western Asia. .

  • Official website : FAO – SOFI reports .

  • Paragraph : Chronic hunger and food insecurity .

c) WFP (World Food Programme) estimates

Source : WFP Global Outlook and annual reports.

• WFP 2025 Global Outlook (released late 2024)

  • Data : 343 million people in 74 countries are acutely food insecure, a 10 percent increase from the previous year. WFP requires $16.9 billion to assist 123 million people in 2025. .

• WFP 2025 Statement of Impact (January 2026)

  • Data : In 2025, 318 million people suffered extreme hunger. For the first time this century, two famines occurred simultaneously (Sudan and Gaza). .

  • Official website : WFP – Hunger & Famine reports .

3. Childhood malnutrition

Source : UNICEF, WHO, World Bank – Joint Child Malnutrition Estimates (JME) .

• JME 2025 Edition

  • Data :

    • Stunting : 150.2 million children under 5 in 2024 (23.2%).

    • Wasting : 42.8 million (6.6%), of which 12.2 million were severe wasting.

    • Overweight : 35.5 million (5.5%). .

  • Official website : UNICEF, WHO, World Bank – Joint Malnutrition Estimates .

4. Children killed in armed conflicts

Source : UNICEF and Report of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict .

• UNICEF – Children and Armed Conflict (2024 data, published 2025)

  • Data : In 2024, at least 4,676 children were killed in armed conflict (the highest ever)【Previous article】.

  • Original source : UNICEF – Children killed in conflicts .

  • Monitoring site : UN – Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) .

  • Paragraph : How many children die in the world every minute and Children in conflicts .

5. Context 2025-2026: updates and projections

Sources :

• GRFC 2026 (April 2026) : Extends the analysis to 2025 with projections for 2026. It indicates that 266 million people in 47 countries suffered from acute hunger in 2025, with 1.4 million people in Catastrophe (IPC Phase 5) conditions. .

• FAO-WFP Hunger Hotspots (November 2025) : identifies the most critical areas for 2025-2026, highlighting the risk of famine in Sudan, Gaza, South Sudan, Haiti, and Mali. The full report: FAO-WFP Hunger Hotspots Report .