The Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto said, optimizing the potential of the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), especially to take advantage of comparative advantage over natural resource wealth (SDA), is an important key to accelerating achievements according to the Vision 2025. This was conveyed when chairing the 25th BIMP-EAGA 2022 Retreat Ministerial Meeting (PTM) which was held in Pontianak City, West Kalimantan Province, Friday (25/11). "I am happy that we can finally meet in person to discuss important matters that will advance the BIMP-EAGA collaboration," said Airlangga. Two main agendas were discussed at the Ministerial Retreat, namely accelerating BIMP-EAGA cooperation including the preparation of the Post-2025 Vision and strengthening the Secretariat of the BIMP-EAGA Facilitation Center (FC). In this regard, the Coordinating Minister for Airlangga conveyed three important points.
First, redouble efforts to plan and implement concrete projects. Steps that can be implemented include converging and bottom-up project formulation, project collaboration to strengthen regional supply chains, as well as reskilling and upskilling efforts from business actors.
The second point is revitalizing connectivity through reopening or creating new routes to support trade and tourism. "Rebuilding the tourism sector is a priority, developing to be resilient and sustainable," said Airlangga. The third point is learning from the G20 about accelerating transition and energy security in the sub-region, including in developing potential business models for the future. Ministers from the four countries present emphasized that subregional cooperation remains the key to ensuring sustainable and inclusive regional development. For this reason, BIMP-EAGA must be adaptable and agile in the midst of emerging megatrends such as technological disruptions, climate change, or the multidimensional crisis that will occur.
Learning from the results of the Mid-Term Review (MTR) Vision 2025, BIMP-EAGA needs to develop a Post-2025 Vision with more comprehensive elements. This is expected to answer the various challenges that will occur. "Overcoming this challenge will open opportunities for BIMP-EAGA to maximize wider regional cooperation, such as RCEP and IPEF, as part of the regional integration agenda," said the Coordinating Minister for Airlangga.
The Coordinating Minister for Airlangga proposed three elements that need to be taken into consideration in preparing the Post-2025 Vision which include increasing new collective competitiveness, developing agglomeration-based projects that are sub-regions or involving all regions, and building sustainable sub-regions to support the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Meanwhile, regarding the progress of the legalization of the BIMP-FC which will function as a Joint Secretariat, the Ministers expressed their agreement to speed up the establishment of the secretariat in order to optimize the potential of BIMP-EAGA. The Ministers took note of Brunei Darussalam's proposal to establish a Joint Secretariat in Bandar Seri Begawan, and committed to accelerating internal consultations so that this problem could be resolved immediately. "So I think it's time for us to give Brunei Darussalam the opportunity to host the BIMP-FC," he concluded.
