All countries should foster lawful and orderly migration and curb and combat illegal immigration, leaders of the International Association of Economic and Social Councils and Similar Institutions (IAESCSI) said in Beijing Thursday.

Immigration laws and policies need to be updated to protect the lawful rights of immigrants, the IAESCSI said in its Beijing Declaration issued at the closing ceremony of its 10th International Meeting.

A major cause of mass migration is the imbalance in social and economic development, the declaration said, so tackling the migration issue implies narrowing the gap between the developed and developing countries and achieving common economic growth and social justice.

The declaration called on developed countries to do more to boost global economic growth and take concrete measures on such critical issues as poverty eradication, financial assistance, debt forgiveness and public health to help developing countries grow more quickly, in particular the countries of Africa and the least developed countries.

The international community should give top priority to poverty eradication in its overall effort to boost international cooperation, and work to implement the Monterrey Consensus. Developed countries should work to meet the 0.7 percent of GNP target for official development assistance and explore new ways of financing development, the declaration said.

It also called on civil society organizations to play a bigger role in promoting national development, forging global development partnerships and contributing to environmental protection, coordinated social and economic development and the elimination of famine and poverty.

Organized civil society should be consulted when national policies are defined, and should be involved in implementing and analyzing these policies, the declaration said.

Wang Zhongyu, president of the Economic and Social Council of China, was appointed honorary president of the IAESCSI during the meeting. Wang, who is also vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), served as the fourth president of the IAESCSI.

M. Walfrido Mares Guia, president of the Economic and Social Council of Brazil, was appointed the IAESCSI's new president.

Established in 1999, the IAESCSI now has 49 members.

Source: Xinhua