Joint Statement by the Foreign Ministers of Australia and Indonesia on the first meeting of the Bali Process Consultation Mechanism held on 13 October 2017, Jakarta, Indonesia

  • Media release

Indonesia and Australia co-chaired the first Bali Process Consultation Mechanism on 13 October 2017, Jakarta, Indonesia, to discuss the urgent irregular migration crisis in the Myanmar-Bangladesh border region.

In addition to the Co-Chairs, the meeting was attended by senior officials from the Bali Process Steering Group – Thailand, New Zealand, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) – and Bangladesh and Myanmar, as the two most affected countries.

The meeting facilitated constructive dialogue between members of the Steering Group and affected countries. Informal consultations are ongoing. As agreed by all participants, the discussions will remain confidential.

The convening of the Consultation Mechanism highlights the commitment of member countries to ensure that the Bali Process stands ready to work together and assist the region in responding to irregular migration crises.

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