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)