With a diplomatic career spanning over two decades, Pak Fuad has held several foreign postings, including at the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Berlin, Germany, the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in New York, the United States of America, and the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Seoul, Republic of Korea. Prior to his arrival in Bangkok, he served as the Director of the Centre for Functional Positions Development at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia.

In his first few months as RSO Co-Manager, Pak Fuad represented the RSO alongside RSO Co-Manager (Australia) David Scott at the Bali Process Senior Official Meetings in Malaysia, as well as in a series of bilateral meetings at the RSO office in Bangkok, Thailand. In this interview, Pak Fuad shares his thoughts on RSO priorities, insights on emerging trends and challenges in the Bali Process region, and his vision for enhanced regional collaboration to counter human trafficking, people smuggling, and related transnational crimes.

My primary objective as RSO Co-Manager is to ensure the work of the RSO aligns with the core objectives of the RSO itself and the mandate of the Bali Process. It must remain consistent with Bali Process members’ priorities and align with what has been agreed upon in Bali Process meetings. My work also facilitates an integrated and coordinated approach to communication between the RSO and the Government of Indonesia. Continued coordination between the RSO and the Government of Indonesia plays an important role in delivering the RSO’s activities and initiatives. Additionally, we must understand and reflect on the emerging trends and challenges facing members in countering trafficking in persons, people smuggling, and related transnational crime.

Following the 18^th Steering Group and 17^th Ad Hoc Group Officials Meeting, I noticed a significant need for members to strengthen cooperation, capacity building, and information sharing, especially among law enforcement officials in the region. This is crucial to address challenges arising from trafficking in persons, people smuggling, and related transnational crime. The influx of irregular migration of the Rohingya, as well as continued cases of trafficking in persons related to online scams remain pressing issues that frequently occur in the region, which require a collective effort to address. I see that strategic communication campaigns, as well as enhancing law enforcement cooperation and stakeholder collaboration could be critical initiatives to consider in joint efforts to address these issues.

The top priorities for the RSO include addressing the influx of irregular migration of the Rohingya and trafficking in persons related to online scam cases.

Indonesia has long been a disembarkation point for Rohingya, with the latest landing on 22 May 2024 in Sumatera. There is a need to strengthen cooperation, capacity building, and information sharing among law enforcement officials, as well as conducting strategic communication campaigns to prevent refugees from becoming victims of trafficking, including through social media. The RSO should continue to conduct activities to address these challenges.

Southeast Asia also faces trafficking in persons related to online scams, with over 3,000 reported cases since 2020. Indonesia continues to consider this phenomenon as a priority, and there is still homework that needs to be done to prevent and combat this crime. Protecting and supporting victims, conducting public awareness campaigns, enhancing law enforcement capacity, and developing policies and legislative frameworks to prosecute traffickers are crucial. I look forward to working with the RSO to facilitate further collaboration with the Government of Indonesia to conduct workshops related to these phenomena, such as potential workshops on strengthening responses to transnational criminal syndicates involved in trafficking in persons and online scam centres across Southeast Asia.

Strengthening regional cooperation across the Bali Process through the RSO can be achieved by sharing best practices and knowledge to better address people smuggling, trafficking in persons, and related transnational crimes. Looking ahead, the evolving tactics of criminal syndicates pose significant challenges for the region. Considering this, the Bali Process can work through the RSO—its practical implementation arm—to enhance regional cooperation by focusing on joint efforts in capacity-building, policy development, and knowledge dissemination, with a victim-centred approach. This comprehensive approach is needed to effectively tackle the complex and evolving challenges in the region.

The ongoing work of the Bali Process and the RSO since its establishment stands as evidence of the effective collaboration between Indonesia and Australia. This well-established relationship is supported by a shared willingness to combat issues arising from problems faced by both countries and other Bali Process Member States.  The unique opportunities that come from our relationship not only strengthens the ties between Indonesia and Australia to address regional issues but result in concrete actions and real-world impact for Bali Process Member States and beyond.

With a diverse team from 14 countries in the Bali Process region, the RSO can tap into a global network—which is crucial for addressing issues that know no boundaries. This broadens access to information, research, technical expertise, and potential partnerships. It also helps disseminate RSO-related knowledge and resources internationally. Regional cooperation and cross-border knowledge exchange are essential for delivering the Bali Process’ priority issues and RSO’s core purposes. The RSO’s secondment program also builds on this, as it enhances secondee capacity and facilitates better communication between member states and the RSO. This program should also continue and expand to more countries to gain and enrich perspectives and best practices, aiding the RSO in formulating activities tailored to the needs of Member States.

As RSO Co-Manager, I look forward to working together with David Scott, the Australian Co-Manager, the RSO team, and colleagues across the Bali Process to support the RSO’s work in alignment with the Adelaide Strategy for Cooperation.  We aim to deliver on commitments made by ministers and senior officials to advance cooperation and coordination in countering trafficking in persons, people smuggling, and related transnational crime. We also intend to enhance cooperation with other international and regional organisations, such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and potentially others, to broaden our collaborative efforts.