Podiumsdiskussion der Bertelsmann Stiftung auf der Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz. V.l.n.r.: William Swing, Generaldirektor der International Organization for Migration, Alaa Murabit, Gründerin der NGO „Stimme der libyschen Frauen“, Johannes Hahn, EU

Source Marc Müller

Urgent need to tackle root causes for flight and migration

Why are more and more people from Africa, Asia and Southeastern Europe leaving their native countries? And what can we do to fight the root causes of flight and migration? In this context we launched a new publication and debated with EU and Middle East experts on 17 February at the Munich Security Conference.

Foto Jake Benford
Jake Benford
Senior Project Manager

According to figures released by the United Nations, there were over 65 million displaced persons in 2015. Since, in addition, more and more people have left areas subject to armed conflict and made their way to Europe, a heated debate within the EU over how to respond to the influx has started. Yet why do people leave their native country to begin with and head off to an uncertain future? What are living conditions like in the refugees' home countries and how can we respond to the situation there? Aart De Geus, our Chairman and CEO, discussed these issues with Johannes Hahn, EU Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy, Alaa Murabit, founder of the NGO "Voice of Libyan Women", Lebanese minister of defence Yacoub Sarraf and William Swing, director general of the International Organization for Migration.

The panellists agreed that the EU had to find a common answer to the question of how to deal with refugees in Europe. Yet action was needed not only here but already in the source countries: the international community was urgently prompted to end war and displacement there and also support initiatives for education and labor so that people could find a perspective for decent living at home. Dividing the burden in solidarity among the 28 EU member states was equally important.

"To deal with the challenges of global migration flows, the EU must focus on cooperation rather than on national egoism."

Aart De Geus, Chairman and CEO of the Bertelsmann Stiftung

At the sidelines of the conference, our new publication "Escaping the Escape" was launched. The book was prepared by experts of the Bertelsmann Stiftung together with 25 authors from the most important source and transit countries of refugees. For more information on the book and assessments of selected authors have a look here.