The Co-Chairs of the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime (Bali Process) hosted a commemorative conference and a forum on advancing regional cooperation on trafficking in persons, to mark the 10th anniversary of the Bali Process in Bali, Indonesia, on 12 and 13 November 2012. The two-day event was attended by Bali Process members and observers and the Chairs of other Regional Consultative Processes (RCPs) on Migration: the Colombo Process; Intergovernmental Consultations on Migration, Asylum and Refugees (IGC); Intergovernmental Authority on Development Regional Consultative Process on Migration (IGAD-RCP); Migration Dialogue for Southern Africa (MIDSA); and South American Conference on Migration (SACM).
Participants welcomed the opportunity to highlight the achievements of the past 10 years and to focus on ways to move the Bali Process forward including on possible future approaches to address people smuggling, trafficking in persons and related transnational crimes.
Participants welcomed the achievements of the Bali Process since its launch in 2002, noting it had become the pre-eminent regional forum for cooperation in developing regional responses to irregular migration in the Asia-Pacific. The Bali Process had successfully enhanced border security enforcement cooperation and increased members’ capacities, including in the area of airport security; visa and document integrity; measures to counter trafficking in persons and victim support; legislation to criminalise people smuggling and trafficking in persons; and humanitarian and other protection needs.
Participants acknowledged the recent efforts of the Bali Process to address irregular migration under a Regional Cooperation Framework. Participants also supported the progress of the Bali Process and welcomed the recent establishment of the Regional Support Office (RSO) in Bangkok to
implement the Regional Cooperation Framework. The RSO is already promoting greater information
sharing and practical cooperation on refugee protection and international migration, trafficking in persons and people smuggling, border management and other components of migration management in the Asia Pacific.