BALI, March 22 — Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi arrived here today, to attend the one-day Sixth Ministerial Conference of the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime (Bali Process) in Bali.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also home minister, and his delegation were received at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport by Malaysian Deputy Ambassador to Indonesia, Roseli Abdul and senior Malaysian government officials.

Upon arrival, Ahmad Zahid will attend a pre-council meeting with Malaysian senior officials before taking part in a bilateral meeting with Volker Turk, Assistant High Commissioner of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The deputy prime minister is then scheduled to attend a welcoming dinner hosted by Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi.

The Bali Process conference began today, with a Senior Officials Meeting and will be followed by a ministerial meeting tomorrow.

Ahmad Zahid will deliver a ministerial statement at the conference and adopt the Bali Process Ministerial Meeting at the end of the conference.

The Bali Process was founded in 2002 and has effectively raised regional awareness of the consequences of people smuggling, trafficking in persons and related transnational crime, and developed and implemented strategies and practical cooperation in response.

More than 48 members, including those from UNHCR, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC), as well as a number of observer countries and international agencies are participating in this voluntary forum.

This is the only regional platform in East Asia and Pacific that deals with migration-related issues and the ministerial conference will focus on the general discussion on current challenges, trends and responses of irregular movement of persons in the region and provide an opportunity to step up collective efforts of the Bali Process.

While in Bali, Ahmad Zahid is also scheduled to meet Peter Dutton, Australian Minister for Immigration and Border Control, and Bert Koenders, the Netherlands Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Among matters that will be discussed in the meetings are the ongoing co-operation with Malaysia on transnational crime issues and the current issue of influx of irregular migrants in the region. — Bernama