Disarmament for Development - International Peace Bureau

Dedicated to the vision of a World Without War

“The global arms trade, and its accompanying glut of military spending, continues to represent the single most significant perversion of worldwide priorities known today.

It buttresses wars, criminal activity and ethnic violence; destabilises emerging democracies; inflates

military budgets to the detriment of health care, education and basic infrastructure; and exaggerates

global relationships of inequality and underdevelopment. Without massive and coordinated action,

militarism will continue to be a scourge on our hopes for a more peaceful and just 21st century“.- Oscar Arias, Former President of Costa Rica

Nobel Peace Laureate

“Nothing is more useless in developing a nation’s economy than a gun, and nothing blocks the road

to social development more than the financial burden of war.”

- King Hussein of Jordan

DEFINITIONS (1)

Broadly understood, ‘Disarmament’ is a process of reducing the size of and

expenditures on armed forces, dismantling and destroying weapons, progressively

eliminating the capacity to produce new weapons, and releasing military personnel

and integrating them into civilian life.

‘Development’ refers to social and economic changes which improve the quality of

life for all, and which in particular alleviate mass poverty.

'Disarmament and Development' has been the subject of dozens of UN General

Assembly resolutions over the last few decades, but very little has ever been done to

implement them.

DISARMAMENT - DEVELOPMENT

HOW MUCH?

THE ECONOMY OF WAR

Military expenditures are increasing. Worldwide, expenditures have increased by around 50% over the last 10 years, in particular because of 9-11 and its aftermaths.

In 2009 they increased in every region of the globe (ex. M East.)

WORLD TOTAL: US $1,531 billion (2009) – higher than at the height of the Cold War.

The USA is responsible for close to 50% of the world total. ($663 bn)

Nuclear weapons spending accounts for just under 10% of the US total (around $55bn )

By contrast: China 100 bn, UK/France 50 bn, Norway 6bn. Pakistan 5bn, Mozambique 92 million.

Note: often the share of govt. spending is higher in poor countries.

.

.

NNMilitary spending includes:

• Defence Ministries and other military installations and construction costs

• military forces & military operations

• military-related research

• procurement of weapons

Usually not included are:

• debt for past wars,

• veteran and civilian casualty care, and

• demilitarization costs (such as removing landmines)

•Note: the bulk of military spending goes on salaries, not weapons.

WHAT ? - DEFINITIONS (2)

Costs of development are high. (But compare these with recent bank bailout figures...)

The cost of meeting the Millennium Development Goals was calculated in 2003 at $121

billion (i.e. additional spending per year). (Eradicate Extreme Poverty, Achieve Universal Primary

Education, Promote Gender Equality, Reduce Child Mortality, Improve Maternal Health, Combat

AIDS, Malaria & other diseases, Ensure Environmental Sustainability, Develop a Global Partnership

for Development) . (source: UN Millennium Project)

= less than 10% of the world's annual commitment to the military

Note. World Bank recently estimated the cost at $315 bn.

Other $$ estimates: Provide Clean Safe Energy (est. 50 billion); Remove Developing Nation Debt (est. 30 billion); Prevent Global Soil Erosion (est. 24 billion); Stabilize Population Growth (est. 10 billion); Halt Deforestation (est. 7 billion); Refugee Relief (est. 5 billion); Remove all Landmines (est. 2 billion), etc.....AND CLIMATE CHANGE ? (30 -100 bn)

WHAT NOT? - OPPORTUNITY COSTS

Food for thought

$45 billion = US stealthbomber programme

or270,000 Pakistani schools

Why ?

Some drivers of militarism:

• Terrorism ?

• History – tradition – national unity - vested interests

• Neighbours – rebels – ‘The Others’

• Domination – control – alliances - power politics - gender

• Competition for natural resources

PROGRAMME OBJECTIVES

1. to shift the priorities governing the use of existing resources (public

and private), from investment in the military to investment in

development.

2. to demonstrate, and to help alleviate, the impact of militarization and

specific types of weaponry on sustainable development.

3. to analyse, and work to lessen, the factors that promote militarisation;

and conversely to advocate human security/culture-of-peace alternatives.

Disarmament for Development Programme

“

IPB CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES

• NETWORK BUILDING – SUPPORT FOR NATIONAL COALITIONS

• PUBLICATIONS - TRANSLATIONS (8 LANGUAGES) - WEBSITES

• CONFERENCES - SEMINARS - EXHIBITIONS – EDUCATION WORK

• CALL FOR ACTION

• PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER MOVEMENTS

• DIALOGUES: WITH GOVTS., NGOs, UN AGENCIES, ACADEMICS

• MEDIA WORK

• FUNDRAISING

How ?

• Oldest international peace federation

• Founded in1891, it won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1910. Over the years, 13 IPB officers have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

• 320 member organisations in over 70 countries

• Funded by a mix of membership fees, private donations, foundation grants, government subsidies, publications sales and other income.

• We welcome membership applications from civil society organizations of all types and sizes, as well as individuals.

About the IPB

Books

http://www.ipb.orgNow also on Facebook and Twitter

AND special sites:http://ipb100.org (Oslo conf. Sept 23-26)

http://www.makingpeace.org(exhibition)