Thailand to host regional meeting on illegal migrants
Foreign Minister Gen Tanasak Patimapragorn said Thailand will host a special regional meeting on how to tackle illegal migrants on May 29.
The Foreign Ministry said in a statement that one-day “Special Meeting on Irregular Migration in the Indian Ocean” is an urgent call for the region to comprehensively work together to address the unprecedented increase of irregular migration across the Bay of Bengal in recent years.
The increasing complexity of the problem demands a multi-faceted approach. Countries of origin, transit, and destination must work together to address the problem comprehensively by addressing the root causes as well as all the contributing factors along the way, the statement said.
The one-day meeting, to be attended by senior officials from 15 affected countries, including Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Bangladesh - and the U.S.
Among others, as observers, as well as relevant international organizations: UNHCR, IOM, and UNODC.
The 15 contries will follow up on the progress of the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime.
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