Indonesia and Australia Deepen Cooperation on Immigration, Refugee Management, and Regional Security

Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: The governments of Indonesia and Australia have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation in immigration, refugee handling, and regional security through enhanced operational coordination and information exchange.

During a bilateral meeting held in Canberra on Monday, Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, met with Australia’s Minister for Home Affairs, Tony Burke. The meeting highlighted joint efforts to counter illegal migration and transnational crimes, including people smuggling.

Minister Mahendra conveyed appreciation on behalf of the Indonesian government for Australia’s timely and comprehensive intelligence sharing related to human smuggling networks that exploit Indonesia as a transit hub.

“We highly value the Australian government’s rapid and detailed intelligence in tackling human smuggling activities. This partnership is essential to our shared regional security goals,” said Mahendra on Tuesday.

He reiterated Indonesia’s strong commitment to strengthening operational collaboration through early detection, joint operations, and cross-border investigations. As a strategic initiative, Mahendra also proposed the development of a secure, real-time information-sharing mechanism, particularly focused on identifying key perpetrators, financial transactions, and digital platforms exploited by smuggling syndicates.

Minister Burke, joined by senior officials from the Home Affairs Ministry, welcomed the proposals and emphasized the importance of deepening bilateral coordination.

“Australia is fully committed to expanding cooperation with Indonesia in the areas of law enforcement, immigration, refugee affairs, and regional security,” said Burke.

Minister Mahendra was accompanied by the Deputy for Immigration and Corrections Coordination, Indonesian Ambassador to Australia Siswo Pramono, and other senior delegates.

Earlier, on June 12, Minister Mahendra received a courtesy call from Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, Rod Brazier, in Jakarta. The discussion covered a range of legal and security topics, including the citizenship status of Guantanamo detainee Encep Nurjaman (also known as Hambali), and the potential repatriation of the Bali Nine convicts.

Both meetings underscored the close and strategic partnership between Indonesia and Australia in addressing shared challenges related to transnational crime, migration, and regional stability.