WASHINGTON—Ahead of the June 24–25 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in the Netherlands, Freedom House issued the following policy statement:
“Freedom House welcomes NATO leaders’ anticipated commitment to increase defense and defense-related spending in each member state to 5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). We fully support these ambitious targets in light of the more hostile conditions faced by the world’s democracies after nearly 20 consecutive years of decline in global freedom, and we recognize the need for better burden-sharing and collective resilience among democratic allies.
“At the same time, to address the root causes of regional and global security threats, Freedom House urges members of the alliance—as well as America’s non-NATO allies—to allocate at least 0.01 percent of GDP to programs that support democracy and human rights beyond NATO’s borders. This percentage would represent a moderate increase from what the United States has historically dedicated to such programs, but compliance by all allies would significantly boost the overall effort. Helping people around the world to fulfill their democratic aspirations is one of the most cost-effective foreign policy tools that the free world can bring to bear. As NATO’s own history has demonstrated, societies that are able to build and sustain democratic institutions are more likely to remain peaceful, reliable trade and security
partners, and are far less likely to foster terrorism, engage in military aggression, or generate cross-border instability.
“Since the 1980s, US administrations of both parties have led the free world in their financial commitment to supporting democratic movements in repressive, vulnerable, or newly liberated states. Now, at a moment when almost all of this US international assistance has been frozen or terminated, allies should encourage Washington to return to the field by stepping up their own engagement, in the same spirit of collective security and shared democratic values that has always animated NATO. US leaders, including those in Congress, should respond in kind and reinstate funding for democracy and human rights programs. Such modest but high-impact investments would strengthen global freedom, contribute to stability and prosperity, and deepen democratic solidarity with those struggling for their basic rights in all regions of the world.”
