As the 2025 Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum is taking place, I want to reflect on their recently published Global Risks Report 2025. Now in its 20th edition, this report, a cornerstone of the WEF's Global Risks Initiative, offers vital insights into the rapidly evolving global risk landscape and emphasizes the need for collective action to build a more resilient future.

This year’s report highlights the socio-economic risks shaping our world and draws particular attention to findings from the Global Risks Perception Survey, which captured the perspectives of 900 experts globally. Two key conclusions stand out: a marked decline in global optimism and the intensification of geopolitical and geoeconomic tensions.

In this piece, I focus on the top five global risks for 2025: state-based armed conflict, extreme weather events, geoeconomic confrontations, misinformation and disinformation, and societal polarization.

These risks are deeply interconnected and their implications for migration are significant. Historically, armed conflicts have driven mass migration, forcing millions to flee their homes in search of safety. Over the past two decades, displacement crises in Gaza, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, have underscored how armed conflicts uproot lives and create vulnerable populations dependent on humanitarian aid, reshaping demographics and straining host country resources.

Extreme weather events increasingly threaten vulnerable populations worldwide, with Small Island Developing States (SIDS) facing disproportionate risks. According to the World Bank, SIDS are among the most exposed to climate change due to their geographic characteristics, including tropical cyclone zones and low-lying coastal areas. These events devastate infrastructure, housing, and agriculture, displacing communities and compounding existing vulnerabilities.

Similarly, geoeconomic confrontations, misinformation, and societal polarization profoundly intersect with migration. The politicization of migration often positions migrants as scapegoats for economic and social challenges like unemployment and overburdened social systems. These narratives, frequently deployed during election campaigns, marginalize migrant populations, deepen societal divisions, and exacerbate polarization.

These dynamics highlight the intricate connection between global risks and migration, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive and inclusive policy responses. As a migration specialist, I urge our community to reflect on how we can actively address these challenges.

From the diaspora perspective, engaging with diaspora communities and recognizing their diverse contributions — whether through humanitarian support, climate resilience efforts, talent, philanthropy, or investments — is critical. Diaspora communities are pivotal partners in mitigating global risks: they prevent crises, provide support, and deliver impactful solutions. By collaborating with them and showcasing their tangible impacts, we can amplify their role, counter harmful migration narratives, and demonstrate the transformative power of inclusion and collective action in tackling global challenges.

We remain steadfast in our commitment to these goals, co-creating platforms and ecosystems to refine methodologies, share best practices, and advance multilateralism and multi-stakeholder collaboration. Highlighting success stories — whether of youth driving change, women in leadership, or the cultural richness of diverse communities—will remain central to our efforts.

Yet, the challenges of declining optimism and the erosion of trust demand urgent attention. As institutions and individuals, our greatest strength lies in forging long-lasting partnerships built on shared ownership, mutual recognition, and measurable outcomes. These principles are crucial for rebuilding trust and ensuring our collective actions achieve meaningful, sustainable impact. To advance this mission, we must explore innovative ways to engage with diverse populations, including those who may initially challenge our perspectives. With dedication and empathy, these engagements can transform skeptics into allies, fostering collaboration and partnerships that amplify our shared vision for a more inclusive and resilient future.

Sources:

- Canagarajah, S. (2024, June 6). Four things you should know: Climate change & Small Island Developing States—by the numbers. World Bank Blogs. Retrieved from https://blogs.worldbank.org

- Elsner, M., Atkinson, G., & Zahidi, S. (2025, January 15). Global Risks Report 2025. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-risks-report-2025/

- The Global Media Migration Academy. (n.d.). Global diaspora module. iDiaspora. Retrieved from https://www.idiaspora.org/en/learning-opportunities/global-diaspora-glo…