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Link to the Immigration Borders Information Service website (restricted access) |
The Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime (the Bali Process) is co-chaired by the Governments of Indonesia and Australia. The Bali Process brings together participants to work on practical measures to help combat people smuggling, trafficking in persons and related transnational crime in the Asia-Pacific region. Initiated at the Regional Ministerial Conference on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime held in Bali in February 2002, the Bali Process involves 46 members including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). There are a further 29 observers to the process.
The Bali Process encourages and facilitates regional cooperation in addressing the transnational crimes of people smuggling and trafficking in persons, including through effective information and intelligence sharing; law enforcement cooperation; cooperation on border and visa systems to detect and prevent irregular movements; increased public awareness to discourage these activities and warn those susceptible; enactment of national legislation to criminalize people smuggling and trafficking in persons; provision of appropriate protection and assistance to the victims of trafficking, particularly women and children; addressing the root causes of irregular migration; and assisting countries to adopt best practices in asylum management, in accordance with the principles of the Refugee Convention.
Since its inception, Bali Process activities have been mandated by the Ministers of participating countries ant Ministerial level conferences and are subject to regular review by senior officials. Monitoring and implementation of related Bali Process activities and follow-up workshops and other initiatives mandated by the Ministers are guided by a steering group composed of the governments of Australia, Indonesia, New Zealand, Thailand, and the IOM and UNCHR.
In 2009, Ministers at the 3rd Bali Regional Ministerial Conference agreed that an Ad Hoc Group (AHG) mechanism be activated to bring together key source, transit and destination countries as well as relevant international organisations to develop targeted regional responses to current irregular migration challenges affecting the Asia-Pacific region.
Through this AHG a Regional Cooperation Framework (RCF) concept was developed and endorsed by Ministers at the 4th Regional Ministerial Conference. The RCF will provide an effective platform for interested members to cooperate to reduce irregular movement through the region. The RCF will be implemented through a Regional Support Office.
Bali Process Members
The Bali Process follow-up is supported by financial contributions from Australia, New Zealand, Japan, United States, as well as in-kind contributions from numerous participating countries.
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