Humanitarian support and the Illegal Migration Bill with Laura Kyrke-Smith and Abdul Amin

Laura Kyrke-Smith, UK Executive Director of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and Abdul Amin, PhD student and a refugee client of the IRC join Professor Anand Menon to discuss the work of the IRC, issues around humanitarian assistance and the effects of the Illegal Migration Bill.

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Laura Kyrke-Smith was appointed executive director of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in the UK in 2020. As executive director, Kyrke-Smith is responsible for delivering policy and practice change and increasing funding. She has been with IRC since 2015, when she joined as director of communications in Europe – her previous experience at Portland Communications working with philanthropic clients having bolstered her skills and connections in this area. Kryke-Smith has also worked in government and foreign affairs; she started her career in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as a policy analyst and speechwriter.

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Abdul Amin is a former UN Staff Member, with UNDP being his most recent employer. He is also a Chevening and a Warm Welcome Scholar. Since arriving in the UK in August 2021 with his family, Amin has undertaken an MA degree in Conflict, Security and Development at the University of Sussex last year, and is now pursuing a PhD in Politics at the University of Exeter. Amin was a refugee client of the International Rescue Committee.