“It is clear that we are seeing an increase in military spending. And this is yet another factor that limits the ability to financially support developing countries,” Guterres warned.
The Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, said this Saturday, in Cape Verde, that the arms race is limiting financial support to developing countries in the fight against poverty, a “fad” that he hopes “will end soon”. . .
“It is evident that we are witnessing a global rearmament trend, we are witnessing not a reduction, but an increase in military spending. And that is another factor that is limiting the ability to financially support developing countries, and I hope that this fashion can end soon”, said António Guterres, questioned by Lusa after meeting in Mindelo, São Vicente island, with Prime Minister Minister of Cape Verde, Ulisses Correia e Silva.
Several countries have announced increases in the spending of the Armed Forces after the war in Ukraine, caused by the invasion of Russia in February 2022.
The Government of Cape Verde has set itself the objective of eliminating extreme poverty by 2026, which affects around 13% of the population and maintains a structure of reduced Armed Forces, with the Secretary General of the United Nations pointing to the country as an “example ” for Africa and the world.
“The most important of the Sustainable Development Goals is the eradication of poverty. Poverty reduction is a central issue because it permeates all areas of economic and social life. The eradication of poverty needs investment in education, it needs investment in health, it needs investment in work. And Cape Verde’s goal of eradicating extreme poverty by 2026 corresponds to a strategic vision for development that is fully consistent with the vision of the United Nations 2030 Agenda”, added António Guterres.
António Guterres began today a three-day visit to Cape Verde, within the framework of the Ocean Race, the largest regatta in the world that, from January 20 to 25, calls at the Cape Verdean island of São Vicente, participating on Monday, also in Mindelo, at the Ocean Summit.
Even today, after the meeting with the head of the Government of Cape Verde, António Guterres still participates today in the “Speaker Series” event, with the Prime Minister, Ulisses Correia e Silva.
Source: Observadora
