7 January 2026, Johannesburg
The acceleration in militarism in international relations, seen in the US action in Venezuela and the threats to Mexico, Colombia, Cuba and Greenland, undermines the security and prosperity of everyone, the Global Public Investment Network has warned. The network called on world leaders to reject militarism and domination and to help counter their rise by urgently strengthening international cooperation to address shared global challenges.
Coming together as equals to protect health, enable access to clean energy and respond to disasters, it pointed out, will help to tackle underlying drivers of insecurity, build trust, and demonstrate what can be achieved through cooperation. Investments in common goods are investments in security. Global Public Investment, advocated for by the network, is an approach from which all countries will benefit from shared solutions, to which all will contribute according to their means, and in which all will decide together as equals. Beyond leveraging essential resources, it will help revitalise multilateralism by harnessing both the power of mutual interest – that we are interdependent – and the power of mutuality – that we achieve more by working together.
“At a time of shared global crises – climate breakdown, pandemics, food insecurity, and economic fragility – the surge in militarism misallocates public money and deepens instability,” said the Global Public Investment Network. “True security in the 21st century will not be achieved through coercion. It will be built through collective stewardship of the systems on which all societies depend. Global challenges cannot be successfully addressed by countries working in isolation, nor if a few countries dominate. Inclusiveness, dignity and respect for all countries are essential to meet shared challenges together. This is not just the ethical path – it is the only effective one for security and prosperity.”