French President calls meeting on migrant crisis in wake of new drowning

French President Francois Hollande was scheduled to head a meeting on Thursday on the rampant flows of migrants that want to cross to Europe, according to local report.

"A meeting will be held at 4:00 p.m (1400 GMT) at the Elysee with all concerned ministers to discuss the European and national points of the migration crisis" the news channel BFMTV quoted a source close to the Elysee as saying.

The meeting coincided with the release of a published photograph of the tiny body of a three-year old boy who had washed up on the shores of the Aegean resort of Bodrum, triggering a global outcry on social media to put more pressure on developed countries to take in more refugees fleeing death and poverty at home.

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls pressed for action to help thousands of migrants after two boats carrying 23 people capsized off Akyarlar, Turkey. Twelve people, possibly more, were thought to have drowned, among them the Syrian toddler and several children.

Referring to the drowned toddler, Prime Minister Valls said: "He had a name: Alyan Kurdi. Urgent action required - A Europe-wide mobilization is urgent," he wrote on Twitter.

According to the International Organization for Migration, 2,500 migrants have died so far this year while attempting to reach Europe by boat. This figure reflects the worsening migration crisis as continued violence and high levels of poverty in many African and Arab countries force thousands of people to seek refuge beyond their borders. Endit