Holy See decries record-high military expenditure

By Lisa Zengarini

Archbishop Gabriele Caccia has once again urged the international community to focus on disarmament and peace  rather than fueling further violence through military spending and new weapon technologies.

Weapons of mass destruction in slow motion

During a thematic discussion on conventional weapons at the United Nations General Assembly on October 24,  the Vatican Permanent Observer  reiterated the Holy See’s deep concern about the ongoing increase in the use, sale, and trafficking of these weapons, contributing to violence, death, and injuries in conflicts, crime-ridden areas, and through terrorist activities.

“As the world faces  a third world war fought piecemeal the illicit proliferation and misuse of conventional weapons has become one of the most pressing security concerns at the national, regional and global levels,” he said, referring to  these weapons as "weapons of mass destruction in slow motion," responsible for significant loss of life and community destabilization.

Unprecedented increase in global military spending

Archbishop Caccia also reiterated  the Holy See’s alarm over the dramatic  increase in global military spending, which hit a record $2.24 trillion in 2022. , remarking that this unprecedented increase  is indicative of a worrying trend of prioritizing military investment over addressing critical humanitarian needs, fostering human integral development and promoting global peace.”

Echoing Pope Francis, insisted that  the substantial resources currently wasted on weapons that cause destruction and harm “could be used to achieve genuine global security or invested in the eradication of poverty, hunger, and malnutrition.”

The etichical challeges of autonomous weapons 

While acknowledging the positive international efforts in disarmament, particularly the Program of Action (POA) on Small Arms and Light Weapons, and welcoming the Political Declaration on explosive weapons in populated areas,  Archbishop Caccia warned  of new ethical challenges, especially regarding the development of autonomous weapons without human oversight.  He reiterated in this regard, the Holy See’s support for  a legally binding instrument to ban such weapons by 2026,  while in the mean time calling on all States to refrain from developing these technologies “ as they can never be morally responsible subjects and violate public conscience. ”