Rich nations urged to do 'fair share' as global refugee meet begins

UN chief Antonio Guterres called on countries to take joint responsibility for caring for a surging number of displaced people as he opened a global refugee summit in Geneva Tuesday.

"It is a moment to build a more equitable response to refugee crises through a sharing of responsibility," Guterres said in his opening speech to the Global Refugee Forum.

With a full 80 percent of the world's refugees living in poor and developing countries, which often feel left to shoulder the heavy economic and societal costs alone, burden-sharing is high on the agenda at the meeting.

"The world owes all countries and communities that welcome large numbers of refugees a debt of gratitude," Guterres said, stressing though that "gratitude is not enough."