With the easing of Cold War tensions and the corresponding reductions in the military budgets of many governments, hopes were raised that at least part of the enormous financial resources formerly spent on armaments would be rechanneled into humanitarian programs to help fight poverty and disease.
Külma sõja pingelõdvendus ja sellest johtunud sõjalise eelarve vähendamine paljude valitsuste poolt andis lootust, et vähemalt osa tohututest rahalistest ressurssidest, mida varem kulutati relvastusele, suunatakse ümber humanitaarabiprogrammidele, mis aitavad võidelda vaesuse ja haigustega.