Invest in peace, not in wars
Every war results in brutal consequences. The gruesome scenes, especially the recent deadly events in the Middle East, overshadow more positive long-term global trends concerning peace.
As history demonstrates, wars and conflicts have consistently been an enduring aspect of human existence. Regardless of the causes or the parties involved, every war is a tempest of destruction that devastates everything in its wake.
Populations living in the midst of conflict bear the brunt of its impact as wars directly destroy essential infrastructure such as hospitals, schools, homes, businesses and other national resources valued in the billions.
Yet the most devastating impact of wars and conflict is the exacerbation of poverty through the disruption of livelihoods.
"We are witnessing an unravelling of the protection of civilians and a decline in respect for international humanitarian law, Tom Fletcher, the UN relief chief, said during a Security Council meeting on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict on May 25.
Fletcher stated that the number of forcibly displaced individuals has reached a new high of over 122 million, with the majority displaced within their own countries. He noted that reports of enforced disappearances, torture, inhumane treatment and other forms of trauma were widespread.
In her address to the UN, International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement President Mirjana Spoljaric said, "your state may not be at war today. Your family may be far from frontlines, but tides turn, new conflicts erupt and if you do not defend the rules of war today, you are accepting a world where wars are fought with increasing barbarity and disregard for our shared humanity."
In its review report released at the end of December, Unicef stated that the impact of armed conflicts on children around the world reached devastating and likely record levels in 2024.
'The percentage of the world's children living in conflict zones has doubled — from approximately 10 per cent in the 1990s to nearly 19 per cent today', the report stated.
Looking at the news alone, it is challenging to determine whether more or fewer people are dying as a result of war compared to the past. One must rely on carefully collected statistics to enable meaningful comparisons over time.
According to the Armed Conflict Survey 2024, the level of conflict worldwide has doubled over the past five years, driven by wars in Ukraine, Gaza, Myanmar and other regions.
The report reveals that the war in the Palestine territory has witnessed horrific violence with the Israel Defence Forces' (IDF) military campaign causing massive destruction of infrastructure including residential buildings, health facilities, energy and water facilities, and schools, among others; and the internal displacement of the entire Palestinian population.
'Increasing levels of violence by the IDF and Israeli settlers have also taken place in the West Bank. Regionally, the war has had dramatic ramifications, notably resulting in an increase in direct confrontations between Israel and Iran (and its allies), as discussed above', the report points out.
Whatever the reason for the war, both implicit and explicit nuclear threats have been the default stance of states possessing nuclear weapons for decades. Such threats are fundamental to the concept of deterrence, 'If you attack, we will annihilate your society or your most critical military assets.'
Instead of perpetuating rhetoric against each warring nation, it is essential to unite and engage in negotiations. Unfortunately, even after the loss of countless precious lives and unimaginable destruction, our leaders have been unable to bring an end to these inhumane conflicts.
Preventing conflicts requires the same level of investment that nations allocate to military expenditures. All countries must be prepared to contribute effectively to the global peacebuilding efforts.
Our leaders must do everything in their power to ensure that this new era of geopolitics is not primarily remembered for violence. They should take peace more seriously than ever before.
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