Skip to main content

The German Marshall Fund of the United States

  • Who we are
    • Programs
      • Alliance for Securing Democracy
      • Asia Program
      • Balkan Trust for Democracy
      • Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation
      • Congressional Affairs
      • Digital Innovation Democracy Initiative
      • Europe Program
      • Fund for Belarus Democracy
      • Future of Geopolitics
      • Leadership Programs
      • Mediterranean Program
      • Security and Defense
      • Urban and Regional Policy
    • Offices
      • Ankara
      • Belgrade
      • Berlin
      • Brussels
      • Bucharest
      • Paris
      • Warsaw
      • Washington, DC
    • About Us
    • Marshall Plan
    • Our Partners
  • Experts
  • Events
    Mar
    1
    Upcoming Event

    “The Odesa Debate” Uniting Ukraine, the Black Sea Region and the Transatlantic Partners

    March 1, 2019 to March 2, 2019
    | Odesa
    • Major Conferences & Forums
      GMF brings together hundreds of policymakers, elected officials, academics, and business leaders from around the world to discuss topics from energy to migration, economics to security, urban growth to diplomacy.
    All Events →
  • Our Work
    • Topics
      • America
      • Asia
      • Europe
      • Cities and Regions
      • Security
      • Trade and Economies
      • All Topics
    • Research
      • Publications
      • Transatlantic Takes
    • Perspectives
      • Audio
      • Video
      • Blog post
      • In The News
  • Stay Informed
Jul
14
Past Event

An Excellent Return On Investment? What Governments and Businesses Need to Know About Investing In Refugees

July 14, 2016
Berlin
Related programs: 
Migration

On Thursday, July 14, 2016, the Berlin office of The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) hosted the roundtable “An excellent return on investment? What governments and businesses need to know about investing in refugees”. Philippe Legrain, political economist, discussed his latest study on the economic potential of refugees with representatives of the government, the economic sector, civil society, and the media. The report was issued by the TENT Foundation and constitutes the first comprehensive international study on how refugees contribute to advanced economies. Astrid Ziebarth, GMF’s migration fellow, moderated the event.  

Presenting the findings of his study, Legrain argued that investing in refugee welcome programs yields significant economic dividends. Refugees should be seen as a great economic opportunity for society rather than a burden. He moreover pointed out the great influence that receiving countries’ policies have in determining whether investing in refugees will prove beneficial over time. A combination of Swedish charity policies and the US approach to have refugees quickly provide for their own living was depicted as a role model.

The following lively debate focused on the right training society and businesses can provide to qualify refugees and the obstacles they encounter. Critical voices addressed the current singular German situation and also addressed the social costs within receiving societies that go along with security issues and border control and may diminish the expected return on investment. All participants agreed that integrating refugees is one of the greatest current and future challenges and that a joint effort involving all societal entities is needed.

We would like to thank the TENT Foundation for their kind cooperation. 

Astrid Ziebarth

Senior Migration Fellow, Europe Program

Event Details

July 14, 2016
The German Marshall Fund of the United States
Voßstr. 20
10117 Berlin
Germany
Strengthening Transatlantic Cooperation

Our Organization

  • About GMF
  • Career Opportunities
  • Our Partners
  • Press Room
  • Support Our Work
  • Core Values

Our Work

  • Leadership
  • Policy
  • Civil Society
  • Research & Analysis

Our Experts

  • Find an Expert

Follow

  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Diversity Statement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Credits

Stay Informed

Don’t miss out on the latest from GMF. Sign up to receive emailed newsletters, announcements, and event notifications.

Subscribe