UN chief calls Syrian refugees burden to be shared by all

The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon yesterday appealed to the international community to share the burden of Syrian refugees and to increase cooperation with Syria’s neighbour, noting that these countries are in a position where they cannot afford all these burdens alone.

Ban’s remarks came during the UN’s Global Responsibility Sharing conference in Geneva, Switzerland.

He said the Syrian refugee crisis is one of the biggest humanitarian crises in recent history, calling for greater cooperation.

The refugees’ stories remind him of his family’s displacement from their home 60 years ago, he explained, stressing that the refugees should not be seen as mere numbers.

The UN chief praised Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon which host the largest number of refugees, stressing that the countries are now exhausted.

There are nearly 4.8 million Syrian refugees living in the three countries, he explained.