Morocco's Defense Expenditure on the Rise
In 2025, Morocco emerged as the second-largest military spender in Africa, showcasing a notable increase in defense expenditure of 6.6% year-on-year. This substantial rise positions Morocco just behind Algeria, which leads the continent with a staggering defense budget of $25.4 billion, attributed to an 11% increase. Such financial commitments reflect a broader trend across the African continent, where total military spending reached an impressive $58.2 billion in 2025, marking an 8.5% rise. This increase in defense budgets comes in response to escalating security challenges and geopolitical uncertainties that many nations are currently navigating.
Global Military Spending Trends
On a global scale, military expenditure has surged to approximately $2.9 trillion, representing the eleventh consecutive year of growth in defense spending. The United States, China, and Russia dominate this landscape, collectively accounting for over half of the total military expenditure, with their combined spending nearing $1.48 trillion. The United States remains the largest military spender, with a budget of $954 billion, although it experienced a 7.5% decline due to the absence of new military aid packages for Ukraine after three years of substantial support. Analysts predict that this dip is likely to be temporary, as higher budgets have already been approved for the fiscal year 2026.
Europe has become a pivotal driver of global military spending growth, with expenditures rising by 14% to reach $864 billion. This increase is primarily fueled by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and evolving security responsibilities within NATO. Additionally, Russia has escalated its military budget by 5.9% to $190 billion, while Ukraine has significantly boosted its defense budget by 20%, amounting to $84.1 billion, which equates to about 40% of its GDP. Countries like Germany and Spain have also reported sharp increases in military spending, further illustrating a pervasive trend of rearmament across the continent. According to SIPRI researcher Lorenzo Scarazzato, the global 'military burden' has reached its highest level since 2009, signaling countries' responses to an increasingly precarious security environment.
As reported by en.hespress.com.
