Nancy Aossey

The Great Global Migration: Beyond the Refugee Crisis

Nicholas Kristof, Nancy Aossey, Paul Collier, Peter Laugharn, David Miliband

This panel examines the structural inadequacies of the current humanitarian system in addressing the record 60 million displaced people, emphasizing the shift from temporary crises to long-term urban displacement. Speakers advocate for reconfiguring refugee policy toward economic integration and private sector investment, citing Jordan's industrial zone initiatives and the World Bank's $1 billion funding commitment as models for treating refugees as assets rather than liabilities. The discussion also challenges Western narratives of sole responsibility while highlighting the urgent need to rebalance global resources, noting that 11-month grant cycles and severe underfunding currently fail to support a reality where displacement averages 17 years.