8-11 June • Jakarta, Indonesia
The Regional Support Office of the Bali Process (RSO) convened a week of capacity-building, dialogue, and partnership-building activities in Jakarta as part of Member State Spotlight: Indonesia. The programme brought together law enforcement officers, government representatives from the Republic of Indonesia, civil society partners, and members of the diplomatic community to advance cooperation and strengthen regional responses to irregular migration.
Now in its third year, Member State Spotlight: Indonesia is convened annually in Jakarta in recognition of Indonesia’s critical role as Co-Chair of the Bali Process.
Strengthening law enforcement capabilities and regional networks
Building on the foundations of previous iterations, this year’s programme spanned law enforcement capacity-building, counter-trafficking initiatives, and high-level dialogue, reflecting the breadth of cooperation required to address irregular migration more effectively.
Over two days, the Regional Information and Liaison Outreach Network (RILON) Initiative Risk Assessment and Information Sharing Training brought together frontline officers from five Indonesian government agencies. Participants built their capacity to identify emerging trends in irregular migration, align risk assessment techniques, and strengthen non-operationally sensitive information sharing across agencies.
The training was led by RILON Secondees from Australia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Timor-Leste, with participation from a representative of Thailand’s Marine Police Division, grounding the programme in direct frontline expertise. A tabletop simulation led by Timor-Leste’s Secondee engaged participants in a maritime people smuggling scenario, demonstrating how coordinated analysis and information exchange can support more effective regional responses.
The RILON Roundtable widened the conversation, bringing together Secondees and a representative from Thailand alongside representatives from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the Indonesia Coast Guard (BAKAMLA). The discussion provided an opportunity to exchange country and regional perspectives, deepen understanding of the RILON Initiative, and identify opportunities for further collaboration on maritime people smuggling across sectors, strengthening the common frameworks and working relationships that underpin effective cross-border cooperation.
The momentum from Jakarta will carry into the next chapter of RILON’s regional training programme: a Training on Strengthening Maritime Border Integrity and Roundtable Discussion to be held in Dili, Timor-Leste, reflecting the network’s usefulness and underscoring Timor-Leste’s role as the newest ASEAN member state and a critical partner in regional efforts to address irregular migration.
Enhancing national counter-trafficking responses
Alongside a focus on law enforcement, Spotlight Week explored the broader policy dimensions of irregular migration, recognising that effective regional responses require both operational capacity and strong inter-agency frameworks, particularly as trafficking in persons continues to evolve through online recruitment, technology-facilitated exploitation, and increasingly complex cross-border cases.
The RSO Workshop on Strengthening Responses to Trafficking in Persons brought together officials from six Indonesian government agencies to exchange perspectives on current and emerging trafficking trends, strengthen understanding of trafficking concepts and protection principles, and discuss the meaningful and ethical engagement of people with lived experience in counter-trafficking work.
The insights gathered will directly inform the RSO’s development of practical tools and guidance for the region, supporting more effective national and regional responses to trafficking in persons across countries of origin, transit, and destination.
Fostering partnerships and dialogue
The week’s technical programme was complemented by efforts to strengthen the relationships and engagement that underpin long-term regional cooperation.
Members of the diplomatic corps, officials from the Government of the Republic of Indonesia, international organisations, and representatives from across the Bali Process community gathered for an evening of dialogue at the Members’ Engagement Function Jakarta to exchange perspectives and reaffirm a shared commitment to addressing regional migration challenges.
Opening remarks from H.E. Denny Abdi, Secretary General and Acting Director General for Multilateral Cooperation and Senior Official Co-Chair of the Bali Process (Indonesia), and Gita Kamath, Deputy Head of Mission at the Australian Embassy in Indonesia, highlighted the importance of sustained engagement and collective action in responding to migration challenges.
The week also provided an opportunity to deepen engagement with key government agencies and international partners in Jakarta. Discussions with the Indonesian National Police (Polri), the Directorate of Indonesian Citizen Protection, the Directorate General of Immigration, the Indonesian Anti-Scam Centre (IASC), and the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation (JCLEC) focused on shared regional priorities, including trafficking in persons, people smuggling, and trafficking for forced criminality into cyber-scam centres. These exchanges helped identify practical opportunities for closer coordination and reinforced the strong partnerships that underpin regional cooperation through the Bali Process.
The RSO extends its appreciation to all counterparts and colleagues in Jakarta for their engagement and partnership—including the Directorate General of Immigration, for hosting events throughout the week of activity—and looks forward to building on the outcomes and relationships fostered throughout the next Strategic Work Plan period.
