Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime in Adelaide, Australia, 9 to 10 February 2023

Senior Minister of State (SMS), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of National Development, Sim Ann attended the eighth Ministerial Conference of the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime that was held in Adelaide from 9 to 10 February 2023.

SMS Sim delivered a statement at the Ministerial Conference expressing Singapore’s support for Bali Process as a voluntary, inclusive and non-binding forum for dialogue, information-sharing and capacity-building. She shared the efforts taken by Singapore to combat people smuggling and trafficking in persons, and underscored Singapore’s commitment to continue working closely with our partners within the Bali Process on these transnational challenges. The transcript of SMS Sim’s speech is appended.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

10 FEBRUARY 2023

SMS (FA)(ND) Sim Ann delivering Singapore’s national statement at the Eighth Bali Process Ministerial Conference on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime, 10 February 2023.

Photo credit: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Singapore

NATIONAL STATEMENT BY SENIOR MINISTER OF STATE (FOREIGN AFFAIRS) (NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT) SIM ANNAT THE EIGHTH MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE OF THE BALI PROCESS ON PEOPLE SMUGGLING, TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS AND RELATED TRANSNATIONAL CRIME

10 FEBRUARY 2023

Co-Chairperson Senator the Honourable Penny Wong

Co-Chairperson Ibu Retno Marsudi

Excellencies and distinguished delegates

1 First, allow me to thank Australia and Indonesia for the warm hospitality and excellent arrangements in hosting this meeting.

Singapore’s efforts in Countering TIP

2 Since the Seventh Ministerial Conference in 2018, Singapore has worked to translate our commitments into concrete action.

3 In spite of the pandemic, Singapore continued to hold our annual stakeholder consultation with civil society, businesses and academia to review and strengthen our national approach against trafficking in persons.  We have also targeted some of these campaigns at vulnerable groups such as migrant workers.

Tech-Enabled Crimes and Solutions

4 Today’s meeting is timely, as emerging trends in technologies have enabled perpetrators to devise new ways to carry out their trafficking activities.  These criminals run transnational operations and it has become easier for them to exchange information, coordinate operations and to even recruit victims online.

5 At the same time, technology has also helped law enforcement agencies in the deterrence and prevention of crimes. I would like to share Singapore’s experience in harnessing tech-enabled solutions to improve our capabilities for the detection of such crimes, and the apprehension and conviction of the criminals.

6 For example, to better detect undocumented immigrants concealed in the hidden compartments of vehicles, our border enforcement agency complements profiling techniques with non-intrusive radiographic scanning systems and fibre scopes.

7 To augment our ability to detect fraudulent travel documents, we have also operationalised a multi-modal biometrics clearance concept. For example, instead of using travellers’ fingerprints for identity verification and immigration clearance, their irises and facial images are scanned.

8 Other tech-enabled solutions include leveraging forensic software platforms to process, sort and analyse large volumes of images and videos which may contain content on child sexual abuse. New analytics and data management systems also enhance our officers’ capabilities to analyse large volumes of suspicious transaction reports.

9 Our experience has shown that technology can not only help with the prevention of trafficking in persons, but also augment and streamline investigations.

10 Singapore therefore welcomes the focus of today’s conference, and stands ready to continue working closely with our partners on exchanging best practices, so that we can stay ahead of the curve and collectively address these challenges.

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