Maritime smuggling in Southeast Asia: shifting tides, shared challenges
Coinciding with Malaysia’s hosting of the 2025 ASEAN Summit last month, the Regional Support Office of the Bali Process (RSO) and the Government of Malaysia—the ASEAN Chair for 2025 and ASEAN Voluntary Lead Shepherd for People Smuggling—co-hosted a Regional Meeting on Countering People Smuggling and Related Transnational Crime in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The regional meeting brought together senior officials from ASEAN Member States, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Timor Leste and Australia with an aim to drive progress on a strengthened shared regional approach and response to maritime people smuggling—ahead of the 2025/26 ’sailing season’ which starts from around September each year, when attempted maritime crossings of refugees and migrants reach their peak with calmer seas.
The regional meeting brought together senior officials from ASEAN Member States, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Timor Leste and Australia with an aim to drive progress on a strengthened shared regional approach and response to maritime people smuggling—ahead of the 2025/26 ’sailing season’ which starts from around September each year, when attempted maritime crossings of refugees and migrants reach their peak with calmer seas.
24 June 2025