The US and China account for almost half (49%) of all global military expenditure. According to the most recent report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, global military spending reached $2.4-trillion in 2023, a 6.8% increase on 2022.
Africa’s military expenditure is comparatively low. In 2023, African countries spent a total of $51.6-billion, accounting for 2.1% of the total. This figure, however, was 22% higher than the previous year’s spend. The Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan registered the highest year-on-year increases in the world.