A/61/324 23. The Special Rapporteur has been seriously concerned about the alarming number of reports received in the course of 2006 concerning migrants who lose their lives at sea, in particular in the Mediterranean region, and warmly welcomes the entry into force of these amendments, which he hopes will grant greater protection for persons who out of great desperation risk their lives at sea. V. Observations on the High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development 24. The High-level Dialogue is a unique and important opportunity to discuss some of the multiple issues raised by international migration and to recognize the many positive aspects of migration for the individual migrants and their families, for countries of origin and for countries of destination. 25. In its resolution 60/227 on international migration and development, the General Assembly set out the main themes to be discussed during the Dialogue. These include: the effects of international migration on economic and social development; the multidimensional aspects of international migration and development, including remittances; promoting and building partnerships and capacity-building and sharing best practices at all levels, including the bilateral and regional levels; and measures to ensure respect for and protection of the human rights of all migrants. 26. The singling out by the General Assembly of the protection of the human rights of migrants as one of the principle themes of the discussions on the issue of international migration and development is an important decision on the part of that body. Indeed, in the last few years, there has been a growing awareness on the part of a number of international actors of migrants’ positive contribution to development. Attention often focuses on issues such as remittances and other financial issues linked to migration and the transfer of migrants’ knowledge and skills to home countries, among others. However, though attention to these, usually positive aspects of migration is welcome and has the potential to counter some of the many negative myths and perceptions relating to the phenomenon, such discussions can sometimes give the impression that they do not sufficiently take into account the human dimension that is at the core of the migration experience. 27. The General Assembly has recognized that migrants are a particularly vulnerable group. Indeed, in the preamble to its resolution 60/169 on the protection of migrants, the Assembly listed many of the underlying causes for this vulnerability: “Aware of the increasing number of migrants worldwide, and bearing in mind the situation of vulnerability in which migrants and their families frequently find themselves, owing, inter alia, to their absence from their States of origin and to the difficulties they encounter because of discrimination, differences of language, custom and culture, as well as the economic and social difficulties and obstacles to the return to their States of origin, of migrants, especially those who are non-documented or in an irregular migratory situation,” 28. Discussion of any aspect of migration should always bear in mind the degree of migrants’ vulnerability. A clear illustration of this vulnerability is the extent to 06-51782 7