Each Ministerial Conference is followed by a Co-Chairs’ Statement and supporting documents—such as an updated Declaration and Strategy for Cooperation—which set out agreed priorities and objectives for the Bali Process.
The Conferences are preceded by a Senior Officials Meeting, where members review regional developments, assess progress on activities, and shape the agenda for ministerial discussions.
Since 2016, the Bali Process Government and Business Forum has convened alongside the Ministerial Conference. The Forum is jointly chaired by the Australian and Indonesian Ministerial Co-Chairs together with the Business Co-Chairs, creating a unique platform for governments and the private sector to collaborate on addressing trafficking, people smuggling, and related challenges.
The Eighth Ministerial Conference and Third Government and Business Forum were co-chaired by the Foreign Ministers of Indonesia and Australia and held in Adelaide, Australia, on 10 February 2023. The meetings reviewed developments across the Bali Process region and agreed on priorities to tackle emerging challenges, particularly in relation to people smuggling and human trafficking.
Bali Process Co-Chairs
Senator The Honourable Penny Wong, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs
Senator The Honourable Penny Wong, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, has held the role since May 2022. Previously, Minister Wong served as Shadow Foreign Minister for six years. In 2013, Minister Wong was elected Leader of the Government in the Senate and after the change of government in 2013, became Leader of the Opposition in the Senate – the first woman to hold either of these roles. After the Australian federal election of 2010, Minister Wong was appointed as Minister for Finance and Deregulation. In this role, Minister Wong and the Australian Treasurer delivered three Budgets in the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis. Minister Wong also implemented a policy to ensure women are considered for appointments to senior positions in government agencies and corporations.
Her Excellency Sugiono, Indonesian Minister for Foreign Affairs
His Excellency Sugiono was appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia on October 21, 2024, under the administration of President Prabowo Subianto. In addition to his current role, Minister Sugiono is the Secretary of the Advisory Council and Vice-Chairman of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra). Before assuming his ministerial position, he served as Deputy Chair of the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission I from 2019 to 2024, where he was responsible for overseeing defense, foreign affairs, and communications. Minister Sugiono’s public service career began after a brief tenure in the Indonesian Army, where he served as a First Lieutenant from 2002 to 2004. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Norwich University and a Master of Business Administration (MBA).
Senator the Hon Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs, meets His Excellency Sugiono, Indonesian Minister for Foreign Affairs, in Sydney on Thursday, 20 March 2025.
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Ministerial Conferences Meeting Gallery
