Duterte, BIMP-EAGA leaders agree to promote trade along sub-region

President Rodrigo Duterte, along with the leaders of Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia, agreed to promote greater cross-border trade in the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), a Sunday Palace statement revealed.

At the sidelines of the the 34th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok, Thailand, Duterte met with Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, President Joko Widodo, and Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad for the 13th BIMP-EAGA Summit.

During this Summit, Duterte called on his fellow leaders to:

• establish a BIMP-EAGA Facilitation Centre, a fully functioning secretariat, to make the BIMP-EAGA more responsive and resilient in view of the dynamism within the region;
• bring into fruition the Food Basket Strategy to maximize the comparative advantages of the member countries’ local economies;
• develop the halal industry to a global industry; and
• improve member countries’ physical connectivity and air linkages to improve sub-regional trade, while securing the borders from terrorism and illegal drugs.

The Philippine president also asked his fellow ASEAN leaders to ensure the full and timely implementation of the Priority Infrastructure Projects under the BIMP-EAGA Vision 2025.

Duterte particularly asked Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad to fast track the negotiations on the barter trade system between the Philippines and Malaysia to create livelihood and generate income along their border areas.

The president likewise encouraged fast tracking of the adoption of a common set of standards on the operation of non-convention ships.

Finally, the president committed the country to a deeper cooperation on maritime security with its sub-region partners. — DVM, GMA News