BALI PROCESS MEETING ON RETURN AND REINTEGRATION SERVICES FOR STRANDED MIGRANTS CONDUCTED IN COLOMBO

The Bali Process meeting focused on return and reintegration services for stranded migrants was conducted 10 and 11 October 2024 at the Kingsbury Hotel. This collaborative effort involves the International Organization for Migration (IOM Sri Lanka and Maldives) and the National Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force - Sri Lanka(NAHTTF), coordinated under the Bali Process Return and Reintegration Services (BP AVRR) and supported by the Australian Department of Home Affairs.

The meeting addressed recent trafficking trends in the region, particularly the alarming rise in trafficking for forced criminality, including scams and other illegal activities. This surge has highlighted the urgent need for effective responses to the growing number of stranded migrants and identified trafficking victims.

The key objectives of the meeting included enhancing coordination mechanisms for victim rescue, screening, and immediate assistance, as well as providing essential services for survivors. Participants were also discussed referral pathways and return and reintegration support, with a particular focus on combating trafficking for forced criminality throughout Southeast Asia.

Government representatives from Cambodia, Myanmar, and Thailand participated in the event, alongside members of the NAHTTF, which includes various member institutions, i.e., the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils, Local Government and Labour, the Attorney General's Department, as well as the Criminal Investigation Department and the Department of Immigration and Emigration.

The Chief of National Intelligence and the Head of the Officials Committee of the NAHTTF, representing the Ministry of Defence as the Chair of the NAHTTF, delivered opening remarks, emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts in tackling human trafficking and supporting affected individuals.