Topic:
Country: Jordan
Delegate Name: Natalie Gibbs
The topic of reducing military budgets is an essential one, to both this committee and the global economy. Global military spending is on the rise, and has been for many years. The global financial system is too reliant on military spending, and research has shown that the reduction of such spending would benefit the economies of both individual countries and the global community. However, reducing budgets comes with its own set of challenges, and maintaining the security of civilians in countries with high military spending is paramount.
In the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, military budgets have been steadily on the rise, increasing from 1.61 billion dollars in 2015 to 2.32 billion in 2022. Military spending makes up about 4.84 percent of Jordan’s total GDP. Jordan’s allies also spend a large percentage of their money on their militaries. Jordan is alarmed by the amount of funding used by Israel in the war against Hamas, and has expressed concerns about the region’s stability. Clearly, Jordan sees the benefits in the limitation of military budgets for the security of civilian regions. As a country well-known for its commitment to peace, Jordan is prepared to do what it takes to ensure it. However, significant military spending is key to reaching the goal of global peace as well. Jordan understands this, as the third-highest contributor to United Nations peacekeeping missions.
To solve the pressing issue of high military budgets, Jordan suggests that this committee put together a cohesive set of recommendations for all countries to follow that would reduce their military spending. These recommendations could outline a plan, adoptable by many countries, that would slowly pivot spending away from military ventures and towards more beneficial projects, such as infrastructure. However, this committee should not attempt to give recommendations that infringe on the individual sovereignty of nations or make bold declarations about the necessity of military spending. Every country’s military needs are different, and global cooperation on the topic of reduction of military budgets does not necessitate the reduction of funds by every single country.
The delegation of Jordan hopes that this committee can come to a productive agreement that addresses the need for lower military spending without infringing on sovereign countries or making recommendations that would destabilize and negatively affect civilian regions.
