Transnational crime networks operate seamlessly across borders, facilitating people smuggling, trafficking in persons and broader serious crime. Cross-border cooperation, information sharing and mutual learning between governments, law enforcement and border agencies, international organisations and the private sector is central to support agile responses to challenges around irregular migration and transnational crime.

The Third RSO Constructive Dialogue, a flagship event in the Regional Support Office of the Bali Process (RSO) calendar, brought together 90 senior representatives from 34 Member and Observer States and Organisations, Bali Process Working Groups, the Bali Process Government and Business Forum, and partner organisations.

Discussions at the Third RSO Constructive Dialogue were structured around a routes-based approach, focusing on three key stages of an international migration journey: pre-travel, at-border, and post-arrival. Bali Process Member Organizations The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) facilitated the sessions and provided a situational overview, alongside the RSO.

This framing sought to support consideration of opportunities for governments to proactively intervene and influence migration-related decisions and support vulnerable individuals, and to identify where responses could be best strengthened to counter the activities of transnational organised crime groups seeking to take advantage of border systems and individuals.

Invited updates at the Constructive Dialogue focused on Member State led promising practices that highlighted progress made and solutions that may help other governments seeking to take steps in addressing enduring priorities and challenges for migration-related issues.

A series of workshops, co-led by the RSO and Bali Process Working Groups, together with expert contributors from the Mixed Migration Centre and Humanity Research Consultancy, highlighted efforts being led across respective RSO and Bali Process Working Group work plans, and supported in-depth exploration of RSO research and resources.

Sessions explored how generative artificial intelligence can support efforts to counter trafficking in persons, opportunities to enhance practical and timely information exchange at an operational level, understanding of community perceptions of irregular migration to enhance effectiveness of information campaigns, and addressing complexities in victim identification in the context of trafficking into forced criminality in cyber-scam centres—where the lines between victim and perpetrator can become blurred.

Delegates also discussed the UNODC Observatory on Migrant Smuggling in Southeast Asia, which assesses the characteristics, drivers, and impacts of migrant smuggling.

Discussions covered three major trends—high costs and bureaucratic barriers associated with legal pathways for labour migration pushing migrants towards irregular channels; forced displacement and statelessness of large populations, particularly from Myanmar, Afghanistan, and Somalia, and the role of corruption among public officials in origin, transit, and destination countries, which also contributes to the impunity of smugglers.

Frontline perspectives on operational challenges and opportunities for stronger cross-border cooperation identified at the Third RSO Border Forum, the RSO’s flagship capacity building event for Bali Process Members, were presented back to Senior Officials at the Constructive Dialogue through a series of focused small group sessions. This aimed to support identification of pathways to address challenges identified by frontline officials at the Border Forum.

Challenges discussed were themed around strengthening information and intelligence sharing mechanisms, risks and rewards around border technology and automation, technology-enabled smuggling and trafficking and understanding motivations and influences that may lead to smuggling or trafficking in persons.

The first steps in deciding to embark on a migration journey are amongst the most critical, shaping the trajectory of an individual’s experience. Early intervention at a local level was emphasised as essential to countering misinformation and protecting vulnerable migrants. Public awareness campaigns and digital literacy efforts are important measures to support informed decision making ahead of travel and reduce vulnerabilities to trafficking.

Enhancing access to legal identity has been shown to support use of regular, safe routes for migration, rather than irregular pathways that expose migrants to exploitation. Thailand has taken a lead here through its commitments at a global level to prioritise the resolution of statelessness, introducing an accelerated pathway to citizenship for around 480,000 stateless people.

The expansion of access to legal migration pathways also plays an important role in supporting safe and sustainable migration, that benefits the host country and reduce the risks taken by migrants.

Bangladesh highlighted the EU-Bangladesh Talent Partnership, launched in July 2024 in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO), which aims to train and place 3,000 skilled Bangladeshi workers in European labour markets, and promote regular labour migration pathways.

Effective pre-departure screenings at border crossings provides a final opportunity for border authorities to intervene ahead of travel. Sri Lanka updated on its ‘Safe Migration Promotion Unit’, established at Bandaranaike International Airport as a three-month pilot project, to promote safe migration, prevent trafficking in persons, and curb the misuse of visit visas for employment.

Criminal networks utilise new technologies and rapidly adapt their operations; law enforcement and border and immigration authorities must also leverage technology and collaborate with the private sector to provide an agile response to identify potential risks, and disrupt trafficking in persons and people smuggling activities. Positive efforts here include skills development for frontline officers in using open-source intelligence (OSINT) to detect, investigate and disrupt online recruitment tactics being used by trafficking recruiters.

Australia updated on its Airline Liaison Officers Network, which emphasises proactive risk identification, with Airline Liaison Officers (ALOs) stationed globally, including in Bangkok, to work closely with airlines, security agencies, and governments.

Strengthening law enforcement and border and immigration capabilities includes addressing corruption—which delegated noted remains an under-discussed and critical topic for governments to address.

Enhancing coordinated, real-time data-sharing between agencies and across borders is critical to counter the operations of organised criminal networks, and to support victim identification and protection. New Zealand is funding the secondment of Sri Lankan officers to the RSO to further regional information sharing achieved through the Bali Process Disruptions Working Group Joint Period of Action.

This has supported effective regional collaboration and capability development through regular meetings established with Thailand law enforcement agencies, Airline and Immigration Liaison Officers based in Bangkok, and other regional actors.

Advancing regional standards in victim indicators and practical identification tools is also crucial to support joined-up efforts across borders. Indonesia has collaborated with Thailand to apply a victim-centred certification process through Thailand’s National Referral Mechanism, supporting application of the non-punishment principle before repatriation.

A unified approach to countering the activity of transnational crime requires alignment between national policies, regional frameworks, and strong multi-agency cooperation.

This includes enhancing cooperation beyond the Bali Process region, with trafficking into forced criminality a global issue—and cyber-scam centre operations emerging as a significant illicit economy and threat for the global public.

The Republic of Kenya was invited to attend the Forum to speak to the urgent need for cross-regional collaboration—calling for stronger partnerships between African nations, Asia-Pacific countries, and beyond—noting the Bali Process as a vital platform for such cooperation.

The Philippines updated on its One Country Team Approach, which unites 25 national agencies in a coordinated response to trafficking. This includes through cooperation with NGOs and local actors. Fiji updated on the establishment of a new Case Management Coordination Unit within the Ministry of Immigration, to strengthen response to trafficking in persons cases, and improve monitoring.

Victim-centered approaches must inform institutional responses, to provide meaningful and sustainable solutions for individuals that deter repeated irregular migration attempts, recognises and protects victims, and prevents re-exploitation.

Victim accounts are crucial to build evidence and understanding of organised criminal network operations, and support disruption and prosecution of criminal actors.

Viet Nam updated on its new anti-trafficking law, which introduces common indicators and frontline screening questions to provide a more consistent approach to identifying victims of trafficking into forced criminality.

The Philippines provided an update on key programs, including livelihood and employment support, healthcare and welfare services, and skills training initiatives to support sustainable reintegration for those who have been trafficked, and are returning to their country of origin, to transition into new, stable careers.

Thailand highlighted its National Referral Mechanism (NRM), which supports early identification and comprehensive victim support. Designed as a protection-led mechanism, it provides a crucial framework in the country’s anti-human trafficking efforts, and provides a well known best-practice example for the region.

Delegates reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the objectives of the Bali Process 2023 Adelaide Strategy for Cooperation.

Discussions will be captured in the Third Constructive Dialogue Outcome Report, outlining key takeaways, Collective Efforts, and proposed future actions.

These aim to set out opportunities for governments to consider where prioritisation of efforts and responses can be best strengthened to address migration-related challenges.