Taking into account the points made above, discuss the main issues involved in the contemporary political debate on…

At the beginning of the 21st century, migration continues to loom large as a subject of media interest, of community preoccupation and of political controversy. Nevertheless, the discourse has evolved significantly in recent years, both in terms of substance and tone, and is now conducted with noticeably less acrimony than before and with much reduced levels of distrust between developed and developing countries. For instance, at [several recent high-level international conferences] participants were, in general, disposed to agree that migration holds considerable potential for economic and social development. At the same time, however, it was apparent that there is much more to be done before agreement can be reached on appropriate management strategies to be put in place, both nationally and on the international level, for that promise to be realized. The task of formulating a workable global approach to the management of international migration remains a formidable challenge, and one that will require both time and effort over the coming years.