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Bimp-Eaga transport ministers meet in Oro

Thursday, 28 July 2011 00:00

TRANSPORTATION ministers from member-nations of the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asia Growth Area (Bimp-Eaga) met in this city yesterday in an effort to agree on frameworks for the seamless integration of the growth area's transport and movement of goods, services and opening new open sky policies. It was the sixth meeting of the Bimp-Eaga Transport Ministers.

Transportation and Com-munications Undersecretary Aristotle Batuhan, said the meeting was aimed at intensifying the transport linkages in the sub-region.

Batuhan said the Bimp-Eaga members stand to benefit from the movements of goods and services as these would fasttrack the transport system.

Brunei Communications Minister Pehin Dato Abdullah Bakar said much has been achieved to integrate the movement of goods and services in the Bimp-Eaga in the last six years.

He said the challenge Bimp-Eaga now faces is the integration of frameworks to have a common requirements in the growth area.

Bakar said the four countries must have the same format and requirements for the movement of goods and services.

There is so much to hope in terms of tapping new resources for eco-tourism in the region, said Malaysia Transport Minister Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri.

But Mon Iksan Tatang, secretary general for Ministry of Transportation, said the future of the Bimp-Eaga would rely on the involvement of business sector.

In a statement, the ministers reiterated their commitment to strengthen cooperation to ensure smooth and prompt implementation of priority transport initiatives, including the establishment of more facilitative procedure in the Bimp-Eaga area.

Batuhan said the ministers were working on an "Implementation Blueprint."

The Bimp-Eaga, formed in the '90s, has three strategic thrusts: the development of the sub-region as food basket for the Asean and the rest of Asia; the promotion of the area as a premier eco-tourism destination; and the enhancement of connectivity within and outside the sub-region.

The Bimp-Eaga also seeks to facilitate the sustainability of air services on existing routes and the entry of new sub-regional air connections.

The ministers recognized the establishment of the Nautical Highway System via Roll-on, Roll-off services (Ro-Ro) and the need to promote inter-Eaga shipping to beef up sub-regional trade and tourism.