WHAT IS BIMP-EAGA?
Launched In 1994, the BIMP-EAGA initiative boosts growth in trade, investments, and tourism through new intra-region shipping routes and air links as well as power interconnection projects. Other key areas of cooperation include agribusiness, tourism, the environment, and socio-cultural education.
The Brunei Darussalam–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area, or BIMP-EAGA, is a cooperation initiative established in 1994 to spur development in remote and less developed areas in the four participating Southeast Asian countries.
The subregion covers the entire sultanate of Brunei Darussalam; the provinces of Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku and West Papua of Indonesia; the states of Sabah and Sarawak and the federal territory of Labuan in Malaysia; and the island of Mindanao and the province of Palawan in the Philippines. These areas are geographically far from the national capitals, yet strategically close to each other. These states and provinces account for over 60% of the land area of the BIMP-EAGA countries; yet they make up less than 20% of their population and 18% of the labor force.
Through BIMP-EAGA, the four countries want to generate balanced and inclusive growth as well as contribute to regional economic integration in the ASEAN Economic Community. They want to boost trade, tourism, and investments by easing the movement of people, goods, and services across borders; making the best use of common infrastructure and natural resources; and taking the fullest advantage of economic complementation.
Thanks to strong ownership and commitment, as demonstrated by the financial, human and technical resources put in by the member governments, BIMP-EAGA has grown over the last 25 years. In 2017, BIMP-EAGA’s combined gross domestic product reached $287 billion, merchandise trade surged 21.5%, and annual tourist arrivals grew 6.6%
HOW DOES IT WORK?
BIMP-EAGA is an intergovernmental economic cooperation program that is envisioned to promote private sector-led and market-driven growth.
The governments address the basic problems of the growth area, such as lack of adequate transport, power, and ICT infrastructure, to pave the way for private sector investments and activities. They fill the infrastructure gaps, provide the policy and regulatory environment for public-private partnerships in relevant projects, and resolve such issues as transport facilitation, cross-border trade facilitation, elimination of non-tariff barriers and measures, and streamlining of customs, immigration, quarantine, and security rules, regulations and procedures.
The governments determine the development path of BIMP-EAGA, aligning it with the social and economic development priorities of local governments and local communities’ aspirations. Vision 2025 sets the long-term strategic thrusts of becoming a regional food basket and premier tourism destination provided natural resources are sustainably managed and connectivity is enhanced within and outside of BIMP-EAGA.
Along with the private sector, local governments are key enablers of the strategic directions set by the BIMP-EAGA national governments. They create a conducive business environment and support the development of small and medium-sized enterprises in their areas.
The private sector plays an important role in identifying challenges and solutions to better promote trade, tourism and investment, and also helps identify private sector-led projects that can support the subregion’s development.
DSD & BIMP-EAGA COLLABORATION
DSD is a member of the Human Resource Development Working Group (HRDWG) under BIMP-EAGA
