Syrian refugee crisis demands united global action: Ban

GENEVA:

The refugee crisis caused by Syria's war requires an "exponential" rise in global solidarity, UN chief Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday, as he opened a conference on securing resettlement places for those displaced.

"We are here to address the biggest refugee and displacement crisis of our time," Ban told the conference in Geneva. "This demands an exponential increase in global solidarity."

Earlier, the UN chief appealed for an end to war and violence in Syria and the region, as he wrapped up a two-day visit to Lebanon.



“The United Nations will spare no effort in seeking to put an end to the conflict in Syria and to reach a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East,” Ban told reporters at a news conference in Beirut.

“This is a critical time for the region. It is time to stop the violence and end injustice, to give people the opportunities they deserve to build a better life,” he added.