strategic vision

Type: Inter-regional forum on migration (regions covered: Europe - Asia - Americas –Africa)

Formal association with regional or multi-stakeholder organization: None

Established: 2002

Objectives

The objectives and priorities of the Bali Process are set out in a Co-Chairs Statement and supporting documents, such as Ministerial Declarations and a Strategy for Cooperation.

    The Eighth Bali Process Ministerial Conference took place on 10 February 2023, recalling and reaffirming the principles and direction set out in the 2016 and 2018 Ministerial Declarations and Co-Chairs Statements, and recognising enduring priorities from 2018 Strategy for Cooperation, as well as new priorities for cooperation.

    At the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Bali Process, Ministers acknowledged regional and global developments that heighten risks for regional instability and occurrences of irregular migration, including ongoing impacts of Covid-19, conflict, misuse of technology, trafficking in persons into online scams, and natural and humanitarian, including climate-related, disasters.

    Ministers endorsed an updated 2023 Adelaide Strategy for Cooperation, designed to reinvigorate an agile, relevant, and responsive Bali Process beyond 20 years since its establishment. They reaffirmed the need for a future-focused approach to changing patterns of people smuggling, trafficking in persons and related transnational crime in the Bali Process region.

    The 2023 Adelaide Strategy for Cooperation includes activities conducted by Bali Process Working Groups, other engagement mechanisms, and the Regional Support Office (RSO), focused on eight areas of cooperation.

    The eight areas of cooperation are:

    (1) Law enforcement

    (2) Stakeholder engagement

    (3) Information sharing and public information campaigns

    (4) Irregular Migration and Related Transnational Crime

    (5) Border Management

    (6) Victim Protection and Migration Management

    (7) Returns and Reintegration

    (8) Coordination and support

    The Bali Process Working Groups bring together practitioners and experts from Bali Process Member States and Organisations to progress work around key issues. The four Working Groups facilitate dialogue to support new and ongoing collaborative approaches:

    • Working Group on Trafficking in Persons
    • Working Group on Disruption of Criminal Networks involved in People Smuggling and Human Trafficking
    • Technical Experts Group on Returns and Reintegration
    • Taskforce on Planning and Preparedness

    Bali Process Government and Business Forum 

    Launched in 2017, this initiative engages the private sector to combat human trafficking, forced labor and related exploitation.

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    Secretariat

    IOM Australia Country Office with Coordinating Functions for the Pacific provides technical secretariat functions for the Bali Process.

    The Regional Support Office of the Bali Process (RSO) was established in 2012 to facilitate the operationalization of the Regional Cooperation Framework or RCF (an inclusive and non-binding initiative of the Bali Process) to reduce irregular migration in the Asia and Pacific region.

    The RSO aims to support and strengthen practical cooperation on refugee protection and international migration, including human trafficking and smuggling, and other components of migration management in the region. The RSO is the regional focal point for coordination, engagement, capacity building, and sharing best practice for countering people smuggling, trafficking in persons and related transnational crime.The RSO operates under the oversight and direction of the Indonesian and Australian Bali Process Co-Chairs, and in consultation with UNHCR and IOM.

    Members

    Member States (45 States) 

    • Australia
    • Bangladesh
    • Bhutan
    • Brunei Darussalam
    • Cambodia
    • China
    • Democratic People's Republic of Korea
    • Fiji
    • France
    • Hong Kong (SAR of China)
    • India
    • Indonesia
    • Iran (Islamic Republic of)
    • Iraq
    • Japan
    • Jordan
    • Kiribati
    • Lao People's Democratic Republic
    • Macau (SAR of China)
    • Malaysia
    • Mongolia
    • Myanmar
    • Maldives
    • Nauru
    • Nepal
    • New Zealand
    • Pakistan
    • Palau
    • Papua New Guinea
    • Philippines
    • Republic of Korea
    • Samoa
    • Singapore
    • Solomon Islands
    • Sri Lanka
    • Syrian Arab Republic
    • Thailand
    • Timor-Leste
    • Tonga
    • Turkey
    • United Arab Emirates
    • United States of America
    • Vanuatu
    • Viet nam

    Note: Founding Members: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Fiji, France, India, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Kiribati, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nauru , Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Turkey, Timor-Leste, Vanuatu and Viet Nam.

    Member Organizations (4 Organizations)

    Chairing Country
    • The Bali Process is co-chaired by the Foreign Affairs Ministers of Australia and Indonesia. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia is responsible for the coordination of Bali Process Official Meetings and Working Groups.
     
    Observers

    Observer States (17 States)

    • Austria
    • Belgium
    • Canada    
    • Denmark
    • Finland
    • Germany
    • Italy
    • The Netherlands
    • Norway
    • Poland
    • Romania
    • Russian Federation
    • South Africa
    • Spain
    • Sweden
    • Switzerland
    • United Kingdom

    Observer Organizations (9 Organizations)

    Observer ISCMs  (1 ISCM)

    Steering Group
    • Australia
    • Indonesia
    • New Zealand
    • Thailand
    • IOM
    • UNHCR
    Ad Hoc Group

    The Ad Hoc Group mechanism was established by Ministers at the third Bali Process Ministerial Conference in April 2009, aims to allow greater responsiveness in addressing situations impacting rates of trafficking in persons and people smuggling on a case-by-case basis.

    Ad Hoc Group Members include 16 Bali Process Member States and 3 Member organizations:

    • Afghanistan
    • Australia
    • Bangladesh
    • India
    • Indonesia
    • Malaysia
    • Maldives
    • Myanmar
    • New Zealand
    • Pakistan
    • Philippines
    • Sri Lanka
    • Thailand
    • UAE
    • USA
    • Viet Nam
    • IOM
    • UNHCR
    • UNODC

    The Bali Process Working Groups and the Regional Support Office (RSO) report annually to the Ad Hoc Group.

    Meetings
    • November 10, 2023, Bangkok, Thailand, Bali Process Taskforce on Planning and Preparedness (TFPP) Seventh Annual Meeting
    • November 9, 2023, Bangkok, Thailand, Joint WG-TIP and TFPP side events, including a Policy Expert Gathering on Trafficking in Persons and Online Scams
    • November 8, 2023, Bangkok, Thailand, Bali Process Working Group on Trafficking in Persons (WG-TIP) Regional Event on Victim Protection and Partnerships
    • November 7, 2023, Bangkok, Thailand, Bali Process Working Group on Trafficking in Persons (WG-TIP) Ninth Annual Meeting
    • February 10, 2023, Adelaide, Australia, 8th Ministerial Conference
    • February 9, 2023, Adelaide, Australia, Government and Business Forum
    • February 9, 2023, Adelaide, Australia, Full Senior Officials Meeting (SOM)
    • February 8, 2023, Adelaide, Australia, Steering Group meeting
    • December 6, 2022, Bali, Indonesia, The 16th Bali Process Ad Hoc Group Senior Officials Meeting
    • December 5, 2022, Bali, Indonesia, The 17th Bali Process Steering Group Meeting
    • August 30, 2022, Virtual Event, 8th Annual Meeting of the Bali Process Working Group on Trafficking in Persons
    • July 28, 2022, Virtual Event, Bali Process Task Force on Planning and Preparedness’ Policy Expert Gathering on Irregular Movement of Women and Children
    • July 27, 2022, Virtual Event, Bali Process Task Force on Planning and Preparedness’ (TFPP) Policy Expert Gathering on the Impact of Covid-19 on Irregular Migration 
    • May 18, 2022, New York, USA, “Enhancing public-private collaboration for migrant worker protection in global supply chains”. Side event at the 1st International Migration Review Forum (IMRF)
    • May 17, 2022, Virtual Event, “Strengthening RCP Contributions to and Cooperation on Objective 23 of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration”. Side event co-organized with Abu Dhabi Dialogue at the 1st International Migration Review Forum (IMRF)
    • February 21, 2022, Paris, France, Steering Group Foreign Ministers meeting of the Bali Process
    • September 28 and 30, 2021, Virtual Event, Meeting of the Bali Process Technical Experts Group on Returns and Reintegration (TEG-RR): Importance of prevention
    • August 20, 2021, Virtual Event, Senior Officials’ Meeting in preparation for a Steering Group Ministerial meeting and the next full Bali Process Ministerial Conference in 2022
    • June 22-24, 2021, Virtual Event, Sixth Meeting of the Bali Process Task Force on Planning and Preparedness (TFPP)
    • 20-21 October 2020, Virtual event, 15th Ad Hoc Senior Officials Meeting
    • 15 October 2020, Virtual event, Steering Group Meeting
    • 13 October 2020, Virtual event, Bali Process Government and Business Forum - Consultation & Innovation Session: Fishing Sector
    • 30 September 2020, Virtual event, Bali Process Government and Business Forum - Consultation & Innovation Session: Financial Sector
    • 14-16 July 2020, Virtual event, Virtual Ad Hoc Policy Experts Gathering of the Bali Process Task Force on Planning and Preparedness
    • 15 June, 29 June, 1 July 2020, Virtual event, Bali Process Online Regional Consultation of the Global Forum on Migration and Development
    • 20-21 October 2020, Virtual event, 15th Ad Hoc Senior Officials Meeting
    • 13-14 February 2020, Colombo, Sri Lanka, Technical Experts Group on Returns and Reintegration (TEGRR) meeting - Outcome Statement
    • 11-12 February 2020, Colombo, Sri Lanka, Task Force on Planning and Preparedness (TFPP) - Fifth Meeting -Co -chairs' Statement (TBC)
    • 3 December 2019, Bangkok, Thailand, 5th Joint Period of Action Debrief Workshop, Working Group on Disruption of Criminal Networks Involved in People Smuggling and Trafficking in Persons - Co-chairs' Statement  
    • 22-23 July 2019, Da Nang, Viet Nam, 14th Ad Hoc Group Senior Officials' Meeting
    • June 18-20, 2019, Final Co-Chairs' Statement 
    • 2-3 July 2019, Bangkok, Thailand, 5th Joint Period of Action Planning Workshop, Working Group on Disruption of Criminal Networks Involved in People Smuggling and Trafficking in Persons - Co-chairs' Statement 
    • June 18-20, 2019, Jakarta, Indonesia, Bali Process Working Group on Trafficking in Persons Events -Co-chairs 'Statement (TBC)
    • June 22, 2019, Da Nang, Viet Nam, 14th Ad Hoc Group Senior Officials' Meeting
    • June 18-20, 2019, Jakarta, Indonesia, Bali Process Working Group on Trafficking in Persons Events
    • February 12-13, 2019 Bangkok, Thailand, Technical Experts Group on Returns and Reintegration [ TEGRR February 2019 Statement ].
    • February 14-15, 2019, Bangkok, Thailand, Task Force on Planning and Preparedness Fourth Meeting (TFPP) [TFPP4 Co-Chairs Statement ].
    • November 22, 2018, Bangkok, Thailand, 4th Joint Period of Action Debrief Workshop [ Co-Chair Statement ].
    • August 6-7, 2018, Bali, Indonesia, Seventh Regional Ministerial Conference [ BPMC 7 Ministerial Declaration-Final  ].
    • June 26-27, 2018, Sydney, Australia; Steering Group Meeting and Ad Hoc Senior Officials 'Meeting [ Final Co-Chairs' Statement ].
    • May 16, 2018, Bangkok, Thailand, Fourth Annual Meeting of the Bali Process TIP Working Group [ Co-Chairs' Statement ].
    • May 14-15, 2018, Bangkok, Thailand, Third Annual Meeting of the Bali Process TIP Working Group [ Co-Chairs' Statement  ].
    • March 21-22, 2018, Bangkok, Thailand, Task Force on Planning and Preparedness Third Meeting (National Plans of Action) [ Co-chairs' statement ].
    • October 31, 2017, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Ad Hoc Senior Officials 'Meeting [ Final Co-Chairs' Statement  ].
    • September 14, 2017, Bangkok, Thailand, 3rd Joint Period of Action Debrief Workshop under the Working Group on the Disruption of People Smuggling and Trafficking in Persons Networks [ Bali Process Co-Chair's Media Statement ].
    • August 24-25, 2017, Perth, Australia, Bali Process Government and Business Forum [ Co-Chairs' Statement ]. May 23-24, 2017, Bali, Indonesia, Consultation Workshop - Bali Process Policy Guide on Following the Money in Trafficking in Persons Cases [ Co-Chairs' statements ]. May 25, 2017, Bali, Indonesia, Bali Process Working Group on Trafficking in Persons Meeting [Co-Chairs' Statement ]. May 18-19, 2017, Bali, Indonesia, Second Meeting of the Task Force on Planning and Preparedness (in support of the Consultation Mechanism) - Table Top Exercise on Irregular and Mixed Maritime Movements [ Co-chairs' statement] . February 28, 2017, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 3rd Joint Period of Action Planning Workshop [ Co-chairs' Statement ]. February 23-24, 2017, Bangkok, Thailand, Regional Biometric Data Exchange Solution (RBDES) - First Ad Hoc Group RBDES Workshop [ Outcome Statements  ].
    • January 27, 2017, Bangkok, Thailand, Bali Process Task Force on Planning and Preparedness (in support of the Consultation Mechanism) Meeting [ Co-chairs' statement  ].
    • November 16, 2016, Colombo, Sri Lanka, “Eleventh Meeting of the Ad Hoc Group Senior Officials” [ Final Co-Chairs' Statement ].
    • March 23, 2016, Bali, Indonesia, Sixth Regional Ministerial Conference, [ Final Co-Chairs' Statement ].
    • March 22, 2016, Bali, Indonesia, Senior Officials Meeting, [Senior Officials Final Meeting Co-Chairs' Statement ].
    • February 2, 2016, Bangkok, Thailand, Tenth Meeting of the Ad Hoc Group Senior Officials, [ Outcomes Statement ].
    • May 6, 2015, Wellington, New Zeeland, Senior Officials Meeting. 
    • August 6, 2014, Canberra, Australia, Eighth Meeting of the Ad Hoc Group Senior Officials .
    • April 2, 2013, Bali, Indonesia, Fifth Regional Ministerial Conference .
    • April 1, 2013, Bali, Indonesia, Senior Officials Meeting .
    • March 4-5, 2013, Sydney, Australia, Seventh Ad Hoc Group Senior Officials' Meeting .
    • June 1, 2012, Bali, Indonesia, Sixth Meeting of the Ad Hoc Group Senior Officials
    • March 29 - 30, 2011, Bali, Indonesia, the Fourth Ministerial Conference [Co-Chairs' Statement]
    • April 14 - 15, 2009, Bali, Indonesia, the Third Ministerial Conference [Co-Chairs' Statement]
    • April 28 - 30, 2003, Bali, Indonesia, the Second Ministerial Conference [Co-Chairs' Statement]
    • February 26 - 28, 2002, Bali, Indonesia, the First Ministerial Conference [Co-Chairs' Statement]
    •  
    Documents
      Contact information

      Website
      http://www.baliprocess.net 

      Australian Co-Chair
      Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
      RG Casey Building
      John McEwan Crescent
      Barton, ACT
      0221 Australia
      www.dfat.gov.au

      Indonesian Co-Chair
      Ministry of Foreign Affairs
      Jalan Pejambon 6
      Jakarta
      DKI Jakarta
      Indonesia
      https://www.kemlu.go.id/portal/en

      Bali Process Regional Support Office
      Level 27, Rajanakarn Building
      183 South Sathorn Road, Sathorn
      Bangkok 10120, Thailand
      Tel: +66 (0) 2343 9477
      Email: info@rso.baliprocess.net
      http://www.baliprocess.net

      IOM Canberra
      4th Floor Bright Consulting Building
      161 London Circuit, Canberra, ACT 2608
      Australia
      Tel .: +61 2 6267 6655
      Fax: +61 2 6257 3743
      Email: srogers@iom.int
      http://australia.iom.int

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