On June 2, 2015, Anne C. Richard, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration, and Ambassador Blake traveled to Aceh to meet fishermen who rescued Rohingya refugees after their boat sank off the coast of Aceh. They also spoke to media from Kuala Cangkoi (TPI Lapang camp): “This is my second time visiting Indonesia, and I am happy to be in this beautiful country although what brought me here is a very difficult and complex situation – namely, the currently irregular migrant boat crisis in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal.
The United States is committed to supporting regionally-led efforts to address the challenges of irregular migration. The United States looks forward to continuing to consult with governments in the region regarding their needs and the best ways the U.S. can support them in providing humanitarian assistance for vulnerable migrants in the region.
