UN chief argues that investing in fighting poverty instead of wars would make a more secure world

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Soaring global military expenditures are reducing essential investments in health, education and job creation and don’t guarantee peace, the United Nations chief warned on Tuesday.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the evidence is clear that heavy military spending often undermines peace by “fueling arms races, deepening mistrust and diverting resources from the very foundations of stability.”

With military spending surging to a record $2.7 trillion following a decade-long military build-up, the U.N. studied the impact on U.N. development goals for 2030. The resulting report, “The Security We Need: Rebalancing Military Spending for a Sustainable and Peaceful Future,” is expected to be discussed at the annual meeting of world leaders at the General Assembly sta