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** August 1, 2023

Don't Treat Ukrainian Refugees Like Short-Term Visitors

Since February 2022, more than 6 million Ukrainians have been recorded as refugees. They mostly fled to Poland, Germany, and other European Union countries, where they will likely remain for a few years or more. Many are highly skilled workers, and one-third of Ukrainian refugees in the EU are children.

Drawing lessons from recent RAND research on the refugee crisis in Syria, our experts say European host countries should "work to truly support and integrate" Ukrainian refugees--most of all by educating and employing them.

Helping young refugees could start with developing school-enrollment initiatives, pathways to high-school graduation, and opportunities for further education. At the same time, host countries can improve labor market access for adult refugees through investment in language training, job matching, and other programs.

Helping Ukrainian refugees in such ways will help them enrich their host communities. They may also eventually return home as entrepreneurs who can invest, transfer knowledge, and create jobs. Thus, "Ukraine's refugee diaspora could turn into a motor of the country's postwar reconstruction."

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Tackling Existential Threats from AI

Artificial intelligence poses numerous and potentially world-altering risks. RAND experts say that tackling these dangers could start with a few simple steps. First, identify appropriate risk-management approaches. Second, determine how AI can better meet the intents of its designers. And third, respond to racism, sexism, and other biases in AI systems. After all, if an AI system cannot be designed to be safe against racism or sexism, then how can it possibly be designed to align with humanity's long-term interests?

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Fighting in Sudan Is Creating a Rift Among U.S. Security Partners

The national security community often focuses on strategic competition between the United States and China and Russia. But according to RAND experts, the conflict in Sudan that erupted earlier this year is a good reminder that regional powers are also competing for influence and resources. As the unrest in Sudan continues, it will likely exacerbate divisions among American allies and security partners in the region, creating barriers to achieving U.S. strategic objectives.

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