UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan Thursday said he wished the
participants at the High-level Dialogue on International Migration
and Development would use the occasion to build a common
understanding of how migration can bring benefits to all.
"For far too long, migration policy has been based on hunches,
anecdotes and political expediency. It is now time to turn to the
evidence, and use it to build a common understanding of how
international migration can bring benefits to all," he said in
opening remarks at the two-day conference that opened in United
Nations Thursday.
The UN chief noted that more countries are now involved in and
affected by international migration than at any time in history.
Many are both countries of origin and countries of destination, and
countries that are very different in other respects face
surprisingly similar migration challenges.
He noted that migrants can help transform their adopted and
native countries in many ways, and more and more people understand
that governments can cooperate to create triple wins for migrants,
for their countries of origin and for the societies that receive
them.
Despite its negative aspects, such as trafficking, smuggling,
social discontents, migration has enormous development benefits.
The international community should tackle migration's challenges
through dialogue and cooperation, rather than antagonism and
isolation, Annan said.
The potential benefits of migration inspire new ways of thinking
about social and political issues. They form a dynamic human link
between cultures, economies and societies. "As a result, we are
better positioned than ever to confront the challenges of
migration, and seize its opportunities," he said.
Annan said he was pleased that many countries had embraced his
proposal for a Global Forum on Migration and Development, which
would allow the international community to build relationships of
trust, and bring together the best ideas different countries have
developed.
The high-level dialogue on migration and development drew the
participation of delegates from more than 120 countries. The
two-day conference will focus on ways to maximize the development
benefits of international migration and reduce difficulties.
(Xinhua News Agency September 15, 2006)
