Andan participates in Fourth Economist Sustainability Summit

Oct 2, 2020: Dr. Khalid Koser, member of the Board of Andan Foundation, participated in the 4th Sustainability Summit, organised by the Economist. In his comments, Dr. Koser talked about “managing the refugee crisis in turbulent times”. His comments are below:

My thanks to the moderator and the organizers, and it is an honor to be sharing this platform with the Minister.

The world was confronted with a refugee crisis even before Covid-19: unprecedented numbers of refugees and internally displaced persons; a greater proportion of them spending longer in exile; and a failure of traditional durable solutions.

The pandemic has only exacerbated the crisis. It poses health, humanitarian and security challenges within camps; it has further restricted the movement of refugees including resettlement; and it is likely to result in a reduction in international aid even through refugee assistance was already chronically underfunded.

The Andan Foundation, where I am a Board member, is determined to help resolve this crisis. Our guiding principles are impact and innovation, convening and collaborating, and systematic change. We are currently supporting projects around the world focusing on livelihoods and economic inclusion, education and vocational training, and technology and digital inclusion.

We promote refugee self-reliance. It is clear that refugees themselves understand best the nature of the everyday challenges they face, and what is required to overcome them. It is also clear that refugees are resourceful. Many are educated, and even those who are not consistently demonstrate resilience and entrepreneurship. Andan works to unlock this potential.

We build public-private partnerships to pool the resources, networks and know-how required to support refugees. The private sector, and high net worth individuals, have demonstrated an increasing commitment to refugees, but often don’t know how they can help. Andan helps them overcome the obstacles to contribute to a global effort.

We have a sustainable ambition for refugees beyond immediate assistance. We believe that new and innovative solutions are required. We are currently formulating a proposal for a refugee city: a safe location where refugees can settle, flourish, and become active citizens again.