Given that my position is newly created and that the RSO this year plans to scale up our work related to transnational crime and technology, my first priority will be connecting with Members to hear about the challenges they’re facing, to gather their assessments of their national contexts, and to discuss with them how the RSO can support them most effectively. I hope this effort can also begin to start more of a community amongst Bali Process Members to discuss these issues, and that through this the RSO can facilitate more rapid responses to emerging challenges, as well as more consistent information sharing between Members.
In addition, this year the RSO will look to act as a bridge and support dialogue between policymakers, law enforcement and tech companies. Speaking with Members so far has made it clear that more effective channels of communication are needed between private tech companies and law enforcement in particular, as it can often be difficult to ensure timely removal of posts targeting new trafficking victims on social media platforms, or alternatively to obtain digital evidence needed to convict smugglers and traffickers. My hope is that this year we begin to improve this situation, with the RSO facilitating increased dialogue, while also moving to support recommendations that Members request. My priority here is to ensure talk is turned into action, and relatively quickly.
