Between 12 and 13 February 2019, The Philippine and Australian Co-Chairs of the Technical Experts Group on Returns and Reintegration (TEGRR) of the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime (Bali Process) held the second meeting of the Group in Bangkok, Thailand.
In attendance were representatives from Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, lndonesia, Maldives, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nauru, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Viet Nam. Thailand and the United Arab Emirates were unable to attend. Organisations attending included the lnternational Organization for Migration (lOM), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Regional Support Office of the Bali Process (RSO). Canada and the United Nations Action Against Trafficking in Persons (UN-ACT) participated as observers.
Participants presented updates and discussed issues pertaining to the topic of returns and reintegration including:
- The RSO presented the progress made by the drafting committee on the Policy Guide for Returns and Reintegration focused on good practices for returns and reintegration. Participants provided their feedback for further refinement.
- Member States updated on their returns and reintegration priorities, and some provided extensive overviews of the current situation, policy frameworks in place and international engagement had.
- The IOM discussed Assisted Voluntary Returns and Reintegration (AVRR).
- The UNHCR discussed practical aspects related to safe returns and opportunities to reintegrate.
- The UN-ACT updated on experiences from the COMMIT Process across the greater Mekong sub-region.
Outcomes
Participants agreed on the following:
- To finalise the Policy Guide for Returns and Reintegration for Co-Chairs’ and Member States’ consideration at the Bali Process Ad Hoc Group Senior Officials' Meeting, held in July 2019.
- To re-convene in early 2020.
