By Michael Oche
The African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) has decried the rising global military expenditure amid declining humanitarian assistance, warning that governments are prioritising military expansion at the expense of human lives, social protection and sustainable development.
The organisation called for an immediate end to hostilities across the world, particularly in conflict-affected regions, urging governments to prioritise dialogue, diplomacy and social justice over military confrontation.
ITUC-Africa General Secretary, Comrade Akhator Joel Odigie, stated this in a statement issued in Lomé, Togo, in which the organisation expressed concern over the growing conflicts in the Middle East and other parts of the world, the destruction of civilian lives and livelihoods, and what it described as the erosion of the international legal order established to preserve peace.
According to the organisation, global military expenditure reached a record $2.887 trillion in 2025, representing a 41 per cent increase over the preceding decade, while military spending in Africa alone rose by 8.5 per cent to $58.2 billion.
Citing figures from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), ITUC-Africa noted that the world’s 100 largest arms-producing companies generated $679 billion in revenue in 2024.
However, it lamented that official development assistance declined by 23.1 per cent in 2025, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), describing it as the sharpest annual contraction on record, with further reductions projected for 2026.
The organisation said the situation reflected a troubling global contradiction in which governments continued to commit enormous resources to military expansion while humanitarian agencies struggled to provide essential assistance to vulnerable populations.
It said: “The world is finding trillions to prepare for war while withdrawing billions needed to keep people alive.”
ITUC-Africa further cited the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, where the United Nations warned on November 6, 2026, that 15.4 million people urgently required emergency shelter and essential household items, while available resources could support only approximately one in 10 of those in need.
The labour organisation questioned the justification for increasing military budgets when millions of people affected by conflicts could not access basic necessities, including food, shelter and medical care.
It warned that the consequences of global conflicts extended beyond the immediate destruction of communities, noting that disruptions to energy and fertiliser shipments through the Strait of Hormuz could further threaten food security, employment and household incomes across Africa.
According to ITUC-Africa, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has also warned of the wider implications of conflicts for jobs, wages, working conditions and migrant workers.
The organisation maintained that workers, who had no role in initiating the wars, were bearing the economic consequences through rising prices, job losses, declining purchasing power and the diversion of public resources from essential social services.
It also expressed concern over the illicit exploitation of natural resources and trafficking of military equipment, which it said continued to sustain armed groups and fuel insurgencies in different parts of Africa.
From the mineral-rich eastern Democratic Republic of Congo to the Sahel, ITUC-Africa said resources that should support development were instead being used to finance violence, while the proliferation of illicit weapons continued to expose communities to insecurity, displacement and economic disruption.
On the international legal framework, the organisation recalled that the United Nations Charter prohibits the unlawful use of force and requires states to pursue peaceful settlement of disputes.
It also stressed that the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law impose obligations on parties to conflicts to protect civilians and observe the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution.
ITUC-Africa insisted that these international obligations must be applied consistently, without geopolitical selectivity, and called for greater accountability for violations.
The organisation called for an immediate cessation of hostilities, protection of civilians and migrant workers, unhindered humanitarian access, stronger action against illicit arms trafficking and the exploitation of natural resources in conflict zones.
It also demanded renewed diplomatic negotiations, restoration of humanitarian funding and increased investment in decent work, social protection and sustainable development.
While acknowledging legitimate security concerns, ITUC-Africa argued that lasting security could not be achieved through military superiority alone, insisting that peace must be built on justice, dialogue and shared prosperity.
It urged workers and trade unions across the world to sustain peaceful collective action, international solidarity and social dialogue in demanding accountability from political leaders.
“Stop the wars. Promote dialogue and social justice,” the organisation declared.
