Overview
The dynamics of globalisation has affected the way states have approached borders, issues regarding borders and the subsequent border management that cuts across multiple issues and are deeply complexed. The region is facing an increasing arrays of transnational threats that mandate greater vigilance and resilient border control. These threats include transporting counterfeit goods, trafficking of timber and wildlife, illicit drug trafficking and smuggling and trafficking of people across borders, and growing threats of cross-border terrorism.
At the 34th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok, Thailand on 23 June 2019, the Leaders, through the Chairman Statement, agreed to strengthen cooperation on border management and to further enhance the effectiveness of existing relevant ASEAN mechanisms on border management cooperation and explore possible border management cooperation arrangements under the relevant Sectoral Bodies.
Priority Areas of Cooperation
Recognising the threat of cross-border transnational crime, the ASEAN Political Security Community Blueprint 2025 encourages ASEAN to strengthen cooperation on border management in accordance with respective domestic laws, rules, regulations and policies and to jointly address matters of common concern including forgeries of identification and travel documents, as well as to explore the use of relevant technologies to manage borders to stem the flow of terrorist and criminals and to coordinate border patrols and inspections.
The ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC) is currently finalising a concept paper: “A Regional Border Management Roadmap” with inputs from relevant ASEAN Sectoral Bodies. When adopted, the concept paper could serve as an initial step to build a roadmap that could lead to an ASEAN-wide border management arrangement based on existing institutions and guided by domestic laws and regulations of ASEAN Member States.
Major Sectoral Bodies/Committees
Several ASEAN Sectoral Bodies are responsible for addressing security cooperation on border management, namely the AMMTC and its subsidiary mechanisms, including the Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC) and the ASEAN Directors-General of Immigration Departments and Heads of Consular Affairs Divisions of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs (DGICM); the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Drug Matters (AMMD); the ASEAN Defence Ministerial Meeting (ADMM) and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) as part of the cooperation on Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC). Coordination across ASEAN pillars and cross-sectoral efforts on border management is led by the DGICM. In the past years, ASEAN also cooperated with the European Union on Border Management through the implementation of an EU-ASEAN Migration and Border Management Programme.
Key Documents
Publications and Related Links to The Sector
- ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime
- ASEAN Directors-General of Immigration Departments and Heads of Consular Affairs Divisions of the ASEAN Ministries of Foreign Affairs
- Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime
- ASEAN Document Series on Transnational Crime: Terrorism and Violent Extremism; Drugs; Cybercrime; and Trafficking in Persons
