Conference Presentation, Fireside Chat, Panel
Lunch Program | A Conversation with David Miliband
- International Rescue Committee anticipates severe operational challenges in US refugee resettlement as the Trump administration is expected to reduce intake to approximately 15,000 refugees, with the UK projected to accept only 4,000 to 5,000 annually.
- A proposal to be presented to the MacArthur board in Chicago aims to secure a $100 million prize to address toxic stress and brain trauma in children under eight in the Middle East to prepare them for learning.
- The current refugee displacement is characterized as a 21st-century trend driven by globalization and social media, with root causes expected to persist for decades, exacerbated by climate change and resource stress acting as multipliers of conflict.
- Future geopolitical stability relies on a fair and equitable globalization model, whereas failure to do so risks a destabilizing de-globalization; specifically, unmanaged humanitarian crises are linked to political instability, with Asia's economic structure now organized around China following the US withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
- The UK is predicted to face a hard Brexit with no option for a soft approach, while the European Union's economy shows a serious prospect of reaching 2% growth driven by a renewal of Franco-German cooperation.
- European border management is deemed legitimate despite a backlog of tasks, and US President Trump is expected to serve for another three years with a high likelihood of re-election.
- If the MacArthur prize is awarded, the IRC plans to dedicate the funds specifically to educational readiness for young children in the Middle East.