The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) revealed, on Monday, that Algerian military spending during 2023 witnessed its largest increase in decades, reaching the threshold of 18.3 billion US dollars, compared to a decrease in Moroccan military spending.

The Swedish Institute added in its latest report that Algerian military spending recorded the highest annual increase of 76 percent compared to the year 2022, and 59 percent compared to the year 2014, an increase that it described as “the highest level of spending that Algeria has ever recorded and the largest annual increase in its spending since 1974.”

The same source explained that this increase was driven by a recovery in Algeria’s fuel revenues, especially gas, as Algeria benefited from the repercussions of the Russian-Ukrainian war, and Moscow’s reduction in gas imports to Europe.

On the other hand, the SIPRI Institute reported that Moroccan military spending decreased during 2023 for the second year in a row, by 2.5 percent, reaching $5.2 billion. However, it confirmed that Algeria and Morocco remain the largest military spenders in the North African region.

The same source added that the two countries top the list of military spending by far, as they together constitute 82 percent of military spending in the region for the year 2023, while the rest of the countries share the remaining 12 percent.

Military spending in North Africa reached $28.5 billion in 2023, an estimated increase of 38 percent compared to 2022, and 41 percent more than in 2014.

According to the same document, total military spending in Africa reached $51.6 billion in 2023, a rate of 22 percent higher than in 2022, and 1.5 percent higher than in 2014.

At the global level, military spending witnessed its largest increase in more than a decade in 2023 and reached its highest level ever at 2.4 trillion US dollars, as a result of the increasing wars and tensions in various parts of the world, most notably the war in Ukraine.

The United States of America, China, Russia, India and Saudi Arabia ranked in the top five in terms of military spending.

Bilel Talamaali / English Version: Med.B