The Steering Group plays a central role in guiding the strategic direction of the Bali Process. It is responsible for setting the agenda for Ministerial Conferences and comprises Ministerial- and Senior Official-level representatives from Australia, Indonesia, New Zealand, and Thailand, together with senior representatives from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). This high-level composition ensures that the Steering Group reflects both regional leadership and international expertise.

Beyond setting agendas, the Steering Group provides governance oversight for the Bali Process, helping to ensure that its activities remain relevant, responsive, and aligned with emerging regional and global challenges. The group directs changes to governance arrangements, including decisions on the expansion of Ad Hoc Group membership, and provides overall guidance on the scope and priorities of Bali Process initiatives. It also acts as an accountability mechanism, with the Ad Hoc Group reporting to the Senior Official Co-Chairs through the Steering Group.

Through this role, the Steering Group helps maintain momentum across the Bali Process, ensures coherence across its multiple working groups and initiatives, and supports effective collaboration between member states, observers, and international partners. In doing so, the Steering Goup safeguards the Bali Process’s ability to adapt and respond to the evolving dynamics of irregular migration, people smuggling, trafficking in persons, and related transnational crime in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.