Peace Group Calls for Global Review of Foreign Military Bases
The Foundation for Peace Professionals has urged the United Nations and the international community to begin a global review of foreign military deployments and consider a gradual closure of overseas military bases, citing escalating tensions in the Middle East.
In a statement made available on Tuesday, the Executive Director of the organisation, Abdulrazaq Hamzat, highlighted ongoing conflicts involving the United States, Israel, Iran, and Gulf states as evidence of the dangers posed by forward-deployed forces and alliance-based security systems.
According to Hamzat, the widespread presence of foreign military bases in sovereign nations can turn regional disputes into global flashpoints, raising the risk of international involvement in local conflicts. He warned that militarisation often escalates rather than deters confrontation, and that host countries may become targets in geopolitical disputes, putting civilians at greater risk and destabilising entire regions.
The organisation called on major powers, including the United States, China, and Russia, to negotiate a multilateral framework aimed at reducing permanent foreign troop deployments abroad.
Hamzat suggested the framework could include the phased withdrawal of combat forces, conversion of some bases into humanitarian or peacekeeping hubs, strengthening regional security arrangements independent of great power rivalries and expanding diplomatic and conflict-resolution channels. “No region should become a chessboard for major power competition. True security must be built on cooperation, not encirclement,” he said.
The statement also addressed ongoing debates in Nigeria and other African countries regarding foreign military presence, particularly in counter-terrorism and security partnerships. While some governments view foreign bases as beneficial for training and intelligence sharing, critics argue they can undermine sovereignty and increase geopolitical risks.
PeacePro, which has long advocated for the demilitarisation of Africa, framed the issue as central to sovereignty, equity and sustainable global stability.
Hamzat stressed that long-term peace relies more on economic collaboration, inclusive diplomacy, and respect for national decision-making than on military deterrence.
He acknowledged that powerful states may resist proposals to dismantle foreign bases but argued that current tensions in the Middle East offer an opportunity to rethink global security arrangements for the 21st century. The organisation called on the United Nations and regional blocs to convene a global summit to chart the future of foreign military basing worldwide. “The world must decide whether security will continue to be built on confrontation or whether humanity is prepared to move towards cooperative coexistence,” the statement concluded.
