In the face of mounting global conflict and widespread aid budget cuts, the head of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Haoliang Xu, has called on wealthy nations to renew their commitment to development assistance, arguing that supporting fragile states is vital for long-term peace and stability.
Speaking ahead of a major UN conference in Spain, Xu stressed that spending on aid should not be viewed as a trade-off against defence or trade budgets. “International development cooperation is critical to building the foundations of peace,” he said.
He noted that the majority of the world’s poorest people live in countries affected by war and political instability. However, many high-income nations, including the United States and several in Europe, have slashed foreign aid in recent years while simultaneously ramping up military expenditure in response to conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
Global defence spending hit a record $2.7 trillion in 2024—a 20 per cent increase on the previous year, according to Xu.
The Chinese diplomat argued that supporting vulnerable nations is not only a moral imperative but also a matter of enlightened self-interest. “Investing in stability in fragile countries helps reduce the burden in countries where you have challenges of migration, for example,” he explained.
“Crises in one part of the world will have an impact on other parts of the world that are currently prosperous and stable,” he warned.
According to the Peace Research Institute Oslo, 2023 saw the highest number of armed conflicts globally since 1946.
The World Bank also estimates that by 2030, around 435 million people will be living in extreme poverty—surviving on less than $3 a day—in countries affected by conflict and instability.
From Monday, at least 50 world leaders are expected to gather in Seville for the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development.
The event is billed as the most significant global meeting on aid and development in a decade, and organisers hope it will revive political and financial momentum in support of the UN’s development goals.
