Aspen Ministers Forum Session XIX – April 2016
The Aspen Ministers Forum met in Oslo, Norway to discuss the migrant crisis, especially the waves of Syrian refugees leaving the Middle East for Europe. Several Syrians experts detailed the situation in the region; then, the group heard from experts whose countries neighbor the crisis. Discussions lingered over systematic concerns, including the geopolitical and economic ramifications of refugee flows, while topics ranged from integrating refugees arrived in Europe to ameliorating the situation in camps to addressing the root causes of unrest. Given the group’s considerable expertise in international governance, the Ministers explored ways to make current institutions more nimble on this pressing topic, including incorporating new technologies and scaling up potential partnerships with the private sector. Keynote speakers included UN High Commissioner Filippo Grandi, Norwegian Foreign Minister Børge Brende, and Frontex Executive Director Fabrice Leggeri.