The president of the World Bank has called for a concerted global effort to help Syria 's refugees , saying the international community has failed to formulate an adequate response . On the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos , Switzerland , Jim Yong Kim told CNN 's Richard Quest that the situation was a `` humanitarian crisis of enormous proportions , and right now we are not responding effectively . '' `` In Lebanon now a quarter of the population are refugees , '' said Kim . `` It would be as if twice the population of Canada came into the United States in a two year period ... ( Lebanon is ) going to lose $ 7.5 billion in terms of GDP growth . The number of unemployed people in Lebanon -- Lebanese -- has doubled . '' The UNHCR says more than 2 million Syrians have fled their homeland since the beginning of the conflict in 2011 , with most taking refuge in the neighboring countries of Lebanon , Jordan , Turkey and Iraq . Reports have found many refugee children living without a father , and some without parents altogether . Kim said the response to the crisis had failed due to a lack of funds , but also due to a lack of leadership and concerted effort . `` There are many political difficulties in deciding who 's going to step up , who 's going to provide the funds . We have given all the money we can under the rules of the World Bank and we now need others to step up , '' Kim said . His organization was `` happy to lead '' the effort , he said . Kim also reiterated the need to address inequality , a hot topic at the World Economic Forum . `` Two and a half billion people in the world do n't have access to financial services . This is a bank account . Not having the ability to save is a huge problem , '' he said . `` Eighty percent of people in Africa do n't have access to energy . You can not participate in the global market if you do n't have access to reliable energy . '' There were encouraging signs that some in attendance grasped the long-term economic benefits of investing in health and education . `` People are now understanding that education is going to determine the competitive abilities of a country into the future , but still many finance ministers are looking at the short term . They 're looking at it as an expense , '' he said . `` We 've got to help them fundamentally change that view , and as they fall behind they 're going to get it . ''
World Bank chief Jim Yong Kim has called for a global response to Syrian refugee crisis . He says his organization is prepared to lead in coordinating a response . Comment: The UN High Commissioner for Refugees,