Europe: Refugee crisis underscores risk of growing global displacement
Refugees fleeing into Europe actually constitute only a small proportion of the global refugee population; however, the numbers have risen exponentially in the last three years: from 59,421 (2013), to 216,054 (2014) and 366,402 (so far in 2015). This increase is largely driven by the war in Syria, with over half the refugees crossing the Mediterranean between 1 January and 2 September 2015 from that country...Different capacities to absorb refugees and contrasting political and ideological approaches have produced a disunited EU response...Consequently, the global displacement crisis will pose a growing humanitarian, economic and political challenge to receiving, transit and source countries. Businesses with complex, global supply chains can expect to increasingly encounter displaced peoples on the move, either in the workplace or in the communities their operations affect, as the displaced seek improved security and economic survival.