International Engagement 2020 and beyond

Purpose of the document

The purpose of this document is to ensure that AFP international engagement has optimal strategic and operational impact. International Engagement 2020 and Beyond will show how the AFP's international engagement contributes to the strategies as outlined in Policing for a Safer Australia: Strategy for Future Capability.

The AFP operates according to a capability‑based model and this strategy will be underpinned by the Capability Management Model.

This document is part of a set of documents:

1. A communication product to communicate our international engagement strategy with partners and stakeholders.
2. This International Engagement 2020 and Beyond document provides the context, direction, approach and governance for international engagement for ourselves and close partners.
3. Country, crime type and capability threat and risk assessments to inform senior leaders as part of the annual decision‑making about areas of focus and resource shifts.

Commissioner's introduction

To develop the AFP's international engagement arrangements for 2020 and beyond, we have explored the past to understand the present and shape the future.

The AFP has engaged with partners, stakeholders and overseas organisations and in international fora for many years. However, the growth in criminal and terrorism threats from offshore, the continued global integration of markets and services, and the ongoing disruption of digital technologies is driving the need for greater collaboration and cooperation between countries in the future.

International Engagement 2020 and Beyond is the cornerstone of our strategy to attack crime affecting Australia and Australian interests offshore. It is an important pillar in Policing for a Safer Australia and an essential element of our success in protecting Australia's national security from transnational serious and organised crime and terrorism well into the future.

Extremist activities threaten development progress. Globally, terrorism incidents have increased by 120 per cent since 2012. Citizen security is a growing concern and is closely linked to rising inequality.

Global fragility is not confined to low‑income countries; it affects middle‑income countries as well. It transcends national borders and impacts on regional security, affecting our security and stabilisation and capability development activities as well as Australia's foreign policy projections.

International Engagement 2020 and Beyond is the framework for all AFP international engagement to ensure threats to Australia and Australians are addressed close to the source. It describes the importance of our international work; provides clarity of roles, purpose and partnerships; and is the rationale for our international footprint. It is the mechanism for the AFP's international engagement.

We police at local, national and international levels, giving AFP unique perspectives and unique opportunities. But it also provides us with complex challenges as we move towards the future.

The AFP has a unique international remit and operates one of the world's largest and most diverse law enforcement international networks, enabling us to take the fight against crime offshore to the very places it originates, or the places it transits through.

Transnational criminal threats originating offshore include the movement of Australian‑based syndicates to offshore locations directly targeting Australians.

Transnational serious and organised crime has a direct impact on the Australian community and the freedoms and standards of living the community enjoys, whether through terrorism, drugs, offences against children and women, and money laundering, where large quantities of money are removed from the Australian economy that could otherwise be used for essential services.

A recent World Bank Group Report^[1] notes that currently, two billion people live in countries where development outcomes are affected by fragility, conflict, and violence. Extreme poverty will likely increase from 17 per cent of the global total today to almost 50 per cent by 2030. Violent conflicts have increased rapidly since 2010 and global fragility risks are rising. Forced displacement in developing countries sees 95 per cent of refugees and internally displaced people living in developing countries.

International engagement permeates all aspects of AFP operations. To achieve a coordinated and effective whole‑of‑government approach, it is essential that the AFP manages international engagement in an organised, coordinated way with its onshore and offshore partners.

Andrew Colvin APM OAM
AFP Commissioner

Our context

We understand that we operate in a complex, volatile and technology‑driven world. There are a number of key factors, trends and shifts that impact what we do and how we engage internationally.

Globalisation

The AFP's operating environment is part of a globalised world. The flows of people, including through people smuggling, and of goods, ideas and information are increasing. Terrorism has a global reach through the use of the internet and social media to recruit, radicalise and train people in attack methodologies and in some cases execute attacks. Increasing global reliance on the internet for commerce and communication exposes countries and organisations to cyber attack. The emergence and proliferation of poly‑criminal networks means a significant increase in borderless crime, both traditional and non‑traditional. The rising incidence of global fragility and shifts in multi-jurisdictional crime, gender violence, murder of Australians overseas, kidnap for ransom, piracy and so‑called 'victimless crimes', compels central agencies, law enforcement, intelligence and security agencies to continually re‑evaluate existing approaches.

Global fragility

Fragility has a direct impact on our national security interests. A significant number of nation states continue to experience a decline in stability, resulting in an environment of escalating global fragility in which transnational crime organisations have the opportunity to grow. This is expected to maintain the demand for AFP international engagement for security and stabilisation activity and contribution to future United Nations missions, consistent with Australia's foreign policy objectives. A recent World Bank Group Report^[2] suggests that achieving sustainable peace after conflict takes up to 41 years.

Government relationships

Government priorities drive many aspects of the AFP's international engagement particularly in security and stabilisation interventions and capability development. The shift to evidence‑based policy making; the rate of change in the political landscape; and the trend towards non‑traditional politics influences how the AFP works internationally.

Economic influences

The AFP's financial base reflects the confidence government and society have in our ability to achieve desired outcomes.

There has been higher risk and volatility in financial markets since the global financial crisis and the debt crisis in some countries. However, the escalation in transnational serious and organised crime and terrorism threats, magnified by global fragility, results in a greater requirement for policing services. This will continue to put pressure on the AFP's ability to service these demands and deliver programs in our region.

A changing threat environment

Crimes impacting the Australian community are changing and society is increasingly threatened by syndicates, criminal groups and terrorists based offshore. These groups are using more advanced technologies to carry out crimes and avoid detection. Threats from cybercrime are adding to the challenge.

Stakeholder relationships and expectations

Government and the community have increasing expectations of the AFP. The dynamic nature of threats requires more proactive, dynamic responses with our global partners, which will be characterised by a need for greater interoperability for information sharing, increasing joint operations, offshore taskforces, regional approaches and capability leverage. There is a trend towards multilateral agreements with our partners (from bilateral agreements).

Police‑led diplomacy

There are very few countries that don't share common objectives to defeat terrorism, defeat the abuse and exploitation of their children, and to curb the flow of drugs, money or guns. The AFP draws on these commonalities to establish longstanding police-to-police relationships. These relationships are not only the cornerstone of our efforts to cripple transnational crime, they also support Australia's broader diplomatic efforts by helping to stabilise and build resilience in Australia's bilateral and regional relationships.

Overall

These factors combine to drive a need for greater connectivity and information sharing with partners. They create the need for national and international agencies to work together effectively to get more return from the resources invested in protecting Australia from offshore threats.

A clear and cogent whole‑of‑government approach which includes the AFP will deliver greater impact, effectiveness and efficiency in the context of international engagement.

The need for international engagement

• Around 70% of Australia's serious criminal targets live or have links overseas³
• Significant increases in aircraft movements⁴
• More than 60% increase in people crossing Australia's border⁵
• Increase in trade⁶
• Fraud is said to cost Australia more than $6billion each year⁷
• Cybercrime costs more than $2billion annually and with changing technologies and automation this will massively increase⁸
• Increase in digital connectivity
• The increase in the volume and encryption of social media and networks is growing rapidly⁹
• International funds transfer instructions issued annually have increased nearly five‑fold¹⁰
• Global cost of crime is about $3trillion and this will continue to grow¹¹
• 120% increase in terrorism incidents globally since 2010¹²
• Increase in domestic terrorism¹³
• Shipping tonnages have doubled and this number will only increase¹⁴
• Detecting illicit goods and criminal money is going to become even more complicated
• A significant increase in bilateral and multilateral agreements¹⁵
• This suggests the relevance of the border is diminishing but the potential impact on Australian sovereignty is very real¹⁶
• Australia, as a criminal market, is very attractive

Who we are

The purpose of our international engagement is to take the fight against crime offshore, and to protect Australians and Australia's national interests by working in partnership with state, territory and foreign law enforcement agencies to detect, deter, prevent and disrupt crime at its point of origin or transit.

To achieve our purpose, AFP international engagement contributes to a number of key activities offshore.

We identify, disrupt and dismantle transnational serious and organised crime syndicates impacting on or targeting Australia, including those involved in drug trafficking, money laundering, human trafficking, people smuggling and cybercrime.

We prevent terrorist attacks and violent extremism.

We detect and disrupt the production and distribution of child sexual exploitation material and those engaged in the sexual abuse of vulnerable people.

We provide policing support to the law enforcement of host nations or investigations of serious offences against Australians overseas, in particular murder and kidnap for ransom.

We undertake security and stabilisation missions that contribute to regional and global stability.

We build capability in host country police and law enforcement to deliver legitimate and accountable policing in response to crime priorities and gender‑based violence.

We exchange and leverage off the best‑practice knowledge and technical capability of our law enforcement counterparts to enhance the AFP.

We facilitate the exchange of criminal intelligence and information with partners and stakeholders in the national and international law enforcement domains.

We ensure effective collaboration with international partners, maintaining and enhancing cooperation on matters of mutual strategic and operational interest to Australia and host countries.

The outcome of our international engagement is strong leadership and collaborative partner relationships leading to the protection of Australians and Australia's national interests onshore and offshore, contributing to a safer Australia.

Our international engagement pillars

• Strategic engagement
• Operations
• Criminal intelligence sharing
• Capability development

What international engagement is

International engagement is activity we undertake with foreign governments and foreign law enforcement partners to protect Australians and Australia's national interests. Our international engagement pillars mean we have a multi‑layered approach to strengthening the rule of law and promoting socioeconomic development and stability.

• We build strong collaborative stakeholder relationships, through strategic engagement, working with our international partners, including non‑traditional partners and non‑government organisations, to put into place mechanisms to achieve outcomes. We influence policy to ensure strong legislation that aims to prevent transnational crime and enhance law enforcement capabilities.
• We lead and conduct operations in partnership with international or host country law enforcement agencies to either facilitate or deliver operational effect offshore. We contribute to disaster relief.
• We share information and criminal intelligence with our partners to improve crime detection and disruption efforts.
• We build capability with our partners and neighbours to strengthen law enforcement capabilities in both countries. We are committed to the evolution and continued usefulness of capability development, including in identification and investment in leaders of tomorrow; the increased value of multi‑lateral training institutions that provide greater donor alignment for the efficient and effective development of capabilities across regions including our commitment to JCLEC; and the value of training and succession planning for training development. We carry out peacekeeping and security and stabilisation activities in post‑conflict situations.

Why international engagement is important

Increasingly close collaboration, partnering and multi‑agency approaches will be the mainstay of policing and law enforcement activities both onshore and offshore. The value the AFP's international engagement delivers is critical to meet the expectations of government and the Australian society.

Much of the activity undertaken by the AFP has an international connection

Most crime is connected at a local, national and international level and therefore all international engagement has a multi‑dimensional purpose and effect. The value of the AFP's offshore activities has implications both upstream in strategic engagement and operational resolution, and downstream through the impact the activities have on local‑level crime.

Crime and terrorism are increasing globally

Transnational crime and terrorism today are facilitated across jurisdictions with little regard for sovereignty and laws that restrict the way government agencies are able to fight them. The ability for crime and terrorism actors to achieve their goals without being in Australia is a reflection of the changing environment the AFP and other government agencies work in.

Criminals and terrorists act in loose networks

Cyber or technology‑enabled crime, money laundering, drug dealing and terrorism are carried out by loose affiliations of actors; the concept of organised crime syndicates is dated and the future will likely see actors engaging online to carry out their enterprise without ever meeting face to face.

Security and stabilisation

It is in Australia's national interests to promote an international and regional environment that is stable, peaceful and prosperous. The AFP contributes to the mitigation of regional and global fragility through security and stabilisation missions, and developing the capability of nation‑state police forces to deliver legitimate and accountable policing services.

Cyber security and cyber crime are growing threats with elements/implications that are not well understood

The increasing digital reliance of individuals, businesses and governments creates a significant vulnerability that can be exploited by those wanting to cause harm to Australia and its interests. The potential for cyber crime, cyber terrorism, espionage and dedicated denial of service attacks is increasing.

It is more effective to fight crime at the source

In the global context, it is more effective to fight crime offshore at some point in the criminal supply chain. Pushing crime back to its point of origin for disruption has a positive effect on crime locally, nationally and internationally. An investment offshore in personnel with appropriate skills can reduce the cost of operations onshore significantly if the network is engaged fully.

Partnerships onshore and offshore provide a higher return on investment

The value of coordinated approaches in the international context for policy and operational agencies is significantly enhanced when consideration is given to the purpose and the most appropriate engagement to achieve desired whole‑of‑government outcomes. Strong and productive partnerships provide much more powerful leverage than agencies acting alone; they open doors for more effective relationships at the whole‑of‑government level.

Who we engage with

The AFP is an important partner in international police diplomacy.¹⁷

We engage with a range of stakeholders within and outside Australia.

To succeed in the future, we must have a greater connection with, and understanding of, the community, government and stakeholders and their needs as well as their roles and how they operate in the global context.

We consider whole‑of‑government requirements and work with our partners who deliver whole‑of‑government outcomes.

Principles of engagement

The AFP is a dynamic, agile and trusted partner offshore, engaging in a flexible way to ensure responsive approaches to changing and emerging threats in the international environment.

The AFP takes a whole‑of‑government approach, providing leadership and working closely with central, law enforcement and national security agencies to deliver whole‑of‑government priorities.

The AFP builds strong collaborative multilateral and bilateral stakeholder relationships through strategic engagement to achieve shared outcomes and objectives with onshore and offshore partners.

The AFP coordinates and shares information with our partners within and outside Australia to get the best results from our international engagement.

The AFP leads and coordinates operations offshore to either facilitate or deliver a desired effect.

The AFP facilitates and delivers capability development offshore to strengthen the rule of law in our region and enhance Australia's national security.

The AFP engages with partners in countries that do not share the same legal or justice frameworks as Australia. The AFP continues to engage with these partners cognisant of potential death penalty and human rights implications, while balancing the need for effective cooperation on transnational crime and the commitment to protect individuals from the death penalty. The AFP also aims to positively influence these agencies in areas such as human rights and victim advocacy.

The AFP promotes equitable access to justice and security, and recognises the role of women in law enforcement and peace building. The AFP is committed to implementing the AFP Cultural Reform Program resulting from the Cultural Change: Gender Diversity and Inclusion in the Australian Federal Police report, and reinforcing AFP's commitment to gender equality and UNSCR 1325 in accordance with the Australian National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security 2012‑2018. Increasing participation of women in AFP international operations will be a force multiplier for our law enforcement capability.

Acronyms

Our global footprint

AFP locations

Current October 2017

International liaison

• Abu Dhabi
• Amman
• Ankara
• Bali
• Bangkok
• Beijing
• Beirut
• Belgrade
• Bogota
• Colombo
• Dubai
• Fiji
• Guangzhou
• Hanoi
• Ho Chi Minh City
• Islamabad
• Jakarta
• Kuala Lumpur
• London
• Los Angeles
• Lyon
• Manila
• Mexico
• New Delhi
• New York
• Papua New Guinea
• Phnom Penh
• Pretoria
• Semarang
• Singapore
• The Hague
• Timor-Leste
• Washington
• Wellington
• Yangon

Police Development Missions

• Jervis Bay
• Nauru
• New York
• Papua New Guinea
• Samoa
• Solomon Islands
• Timor-Leste
• Tonga
• Vanuatu

External territories

• Christmas Island
• Cocos Keeling Island
• Jervis Bay
• Norfolk Island

AFP alternative engagement strategies

Current October 2017

Initiatives

• Fiji / TCU
• IGCI - Singapore
• Interpol Liaison Lyon
• NCA - London
• Samoa / PTCCC
• Strikeforce Dragon - Phnom Penh
• Taskforce Blaze - Guangzhou
• Taskforce Storm - Bangkok

Established transnational crime unit

• American Samoa
• CNMI
• Cook Islands
• Federated States of Micronesia
• Fiji / TCU
• Ho Chi Minh City
• Kiribati
• Nauru
• Niue
• Palau
• Papua New Guinea
• Republic of Marshall Islands
• Samoa / PTCCC
• Solomon Islands
• Taskforce Storm - Bangkok
• Tonga
• Tuvalu
• Vanuatu

Planned transnational crime unit

• French Polynesia
• Guam
• New Caledonia

PPDP-R

• Cook Islands
• Federated States of Micronesia
• Kiribati
• Niue
• Palau
• Republic of Marshall Islands
• Solomon Islands
• Tuvalu

Endnotes

1. World Bank Group Report, Global economic perspectives: divergences and risks, June 2016
2. World Bank Group Report, Global economic perspectives: divergences and risks, June 2016
3. Australian Crime Intelligence Commission (ACIC), The costs of serious and organised crime in Australia 2013–14, Canberra, 2015; Connery, David, Clare Murphy, Hayley Channer, A web of harms: serious and organised crime and its impact on Australian interests, ASPI, Canberra, 2015
4. Kowalick, Phil and David Connery, Opportunities abound: optimising our criminal intelligence system overseas, ASPI Special Report, July 2016
5. Kowalick, Phil and David Connery, Opportunities abound: optimising our criminal intelligence system overseas, ASPI Special Report, July 2016
6. Anderson, Danielle, Fifty years of Australia's trade, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Canberra, 2014
7. Russell G Smith, Penny Jorna, Josh Sweeney & Georgina Fuller, Counting the costs of crime in Australia: A 2011 estimate, AIC Reports Research and Public Policy Series 129, 2014, Canberra, Australia
8. Norton, Cybercrime report, 2012; Attorney‑General's Department, National plan to combat cyber crime, Canberra, 2013
9. Assistant Commissioner Scott Lee, during discussions in November 2016; Regional Managers Forum, November 2016
10. Australian Crime Intelligence Commission (ACIC), The costs of serious and organised crime in Australia 2013–14; Cassandra Cross, Russell G Smith, Kelly Richards, Challenges of responding to online fraud victimisation in Australia, Australian Institute of Criminology, 2014, p. 5; AUSTRAC, Annual report 2014–15, pp. 50, 67
11. World Bank Group Report, Global economic perspectives: divergences and risks, June 2016
12. Information provided by AFP Counter Terrorism 18 January 2017
13. Increase in domestic terrorism. Between September 2001, 37 people have been convicted of terrorism‑related offences and 42 people are currently before the courts. On 12 September 2014 the national terrorism threat level was raised to high; since then there have been four attacks and twelve major CT disruption operations in Australia; and 61 people have been charged in 26 counter‑terrorism operations in Australia. Information provide by AFP Counter Terrorism on 18 January 2017
14. The Hon Warren Truss MP Former Deputy Prime Minister Former Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, 'Reinvigorating coastal shipping in Australia', Shipping Australia Ltd Luncheon, 18 September 2014, Sydney, Australia
15. Assistant Commissioner Scott Lee, during discussions in November 2016; Regional Managers Forum, November 2016
16. Kowalick, Phil and David Connery, Opportunities abound: optimising our criminal intelligence system overseas, ASPI Special Report, July 2016