Most Innovative Companies What Happens When the U.S. Pulls Back from Global Aid? With the International Rescue Committee's President and CEO, David Miliband
Jul 22, 2025
David Miliband, former UK Foreign Secretary and current President of the International Rescue Committee, discusses the significant shifts in humanitarian aid under recent U.S. administrations. He highlights the IRC's crucial work in crisis zones like Ukraine and Gaza, while emphasizing the intertwined nature of conflict and extreme poverty. Miliband also explores how the IRC is leveraging AI to enhance their response strategies and the importance of technology in improving humanitarian efforts. His journey from politics to nonprofit leadership brings unique insights into navigating these turbulent times.
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IRC Founded by Einstein
- The IRC was founded by Albert Einstein and fellow intellectuals as a reaction to the lack of support for persecuted minorities in the 1930s.
- It started with one employee in Marseille who issued fake passports and has grown to 20,000 employees in 330 field sites globally.
Conflict Drives Extreme Poverty
- Extreme poverty today is mainly caused by conflict and fragile states rather than stable poor countries.
- Conflict destroys governance and markets, making it hard for people to escape poverty without aid.
Personal Refugee Connection
- David Miliband's parents were refugees from Belgium and Poland fleeing the Nazis.
- His family history partly inspired him to lead the IRC and close a circle through humanitarian work.