Arab leaders and officials have urged the international community to support nations hosting Syrian refugees and take steps to minimise the impact of the refugee crisis. The call was made in the Beirut Declaration at the Arab Economic and Social Development Summit that concluded in the Lebanese capital yesterday.<br />''<br />''The declaration said, the refugee crisis in Arab countries is the worst humanitarian problem since World War II. It points out that the crisis leads to an economic slowdown, increases the expenditure and deficit, imposes burdens on public sectors and infrastructure and poses risks to the society.<br />''<br />''<span style="color: #222222;">At a press conference after the summit, Lebanese caretaker Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil said, this is the first time Arab countries have reached a consensus on encouraging Syrian refugees to return to their country.</span>