The African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) has urged world leaders to prioritise peace, dialogue and human development over wars and militarisation.
The organisation, which represents more than 18 million African workers, said escalating conflicts, civilian casualties and disregard for international law threatened global peace and human dignity.
This is contained in a statement signed by Mr Akhator Odigie, General Secretary of ITUC-Africa, and issued on Monday in Abuja.
Odigie said the world must urgently redirect its priorities towards peace, justice and shared prosperity.
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“The global military expenditure reached a record 2.887 trillion dollars in 2025, representing a 41 per cent increase over the preceding decade,” he said.
He said military spending in Africa also rose by 8.5 per cent to 58.2 billion dollars, while resources for development and humanitarian assistance continued to decline.
According to him, the world was finding trillions of dollars to prepare for war while withdrawing billions needed to keep people alive.
He said the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) reported that official development assistance fell by 23.1 per cent in 2025, its sharpest annual contraction on record.
Odigie said further declines were projected for 2026, even as governments increased military commitments and humanitarian agencies struggled to provide essential assistance.
He described the situation as a dangerous global arms race, with governments competing to perfect instruments of destruction while millions struggled to meet basic needs.
The General Secretary cited Sudan, where 15.4 million people urgently required emergency shelter and essential household items, according to a United Nations warning issued on Nov. 6.
He said available resources could only enable humanitarian agencies to prioritise assistance for approximately one in 10 people requiring support.
Odigie said African workers were directly affected by conflicts through rising prices, disrupted energy and fertiliser supplies, job losses and declining purchasing power.
He added that disruptions to energy and fertiliser shipments through the Strait of Hormuz threatened food security, employment and household incomes across the continent.
According to him, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) had warned of wider consequences for jobs, wages, working conditions and migrant workers.
He said workers did not declare the wars but were financing their consequences through higher living costs and the diversion of public resources from essential services.
Odigie also expressed concern over the illicit exploitation of natural resources and trafficking in military equipment, which he said continued to sustain armed groups and insurgencies.
He cited mineral-rich eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and the Sahel as examples of areas where resources meant for development were being used to finance violence.
He said illicit weapons enabled insurgent groups to terrorise communities, displace workers and undermine legitimate economic activities.
The ITUC-Africa chief urged governments to uphold the United Nations Charter, Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law, particularly obligations to protect civilians.
He stressed that international legal obligations must apply consistently, without geopolitical selectivity, while disputes should be resolved through peaceful negotiations.
The organisation called for an immediate cessation of hostilities, protection of civilians and migrant workers, unhindered humanitarian access and stronger action against illicit arms trafficking.
It also demanded renewed diplomatic negotiations, restoration of humanitarian financing and increased investment in decent work, social protection and sustainable development.
Odigie said lasting security could not be built on destroyed communities, dispossessed workers and generations condemned to poverty and displacement.
He urged workers to sustain peaceful collective action, international solidarity and social dialogue to demand accountability and encourage governments to place human dignity above military confrontation.
He said history would judge not only those who won the wars but also those who profited, suffered and had the power to prevent destruction.(
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