The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS)

Opinion

To sustain peace, we need to put people at the heart of our operations

Around the world, violent conflict is on the rise. The deadly escalation of hostilities in Israel and Gaza is currently on all hearts and minds, but even before this tragic episode, our world was experiencing the highest number of violent conflicts since the Second World War.

In 2022, more people lost their lives as a result of conflicts than at any time over the preceding 28 years. In the same year, military expenditures globally reached a new record of $2.24tn.

Achieving and sustaining peace is the heart of the work of the United Nations, deriving from its charter in 1945. Beyond the immense human suffering they cause, wars also reverse progress on human development. They create substantial additional humanitarian needs.

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