By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos | Philippine News Agency
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday called for stronger collaboration, innovation, and political will to sustain the growth within the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).
Marcos, who chaired the 16th BIMP-EAGA Summit at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre in Malaysia, acknowledged that the continued cooperation and partnerships among the regional bloc’s member countries have delivered tangible benefits for their peoples.
“As we convene today, let us take this opportunity to not only celebrate these milestones but to also affirm our shared vision for a more integrated, prosperous, and resilient BIMP-EAGA,” the President said.
“I am confident that through our cooperation, we will continue to transform these aspirations that we have held into lasting impact for our peoples.”
During the summit, the Chief Executive cited the progress made by the BIMP-EAGA since the adoption of Vision 2025—the development blueprint of participating Southeast Asian countries from 2017 to 2025 which details strategies to narrow development gaps, sustainably manage natural resources, and promote stronger connectivity.
The BIMP-EAGA’s Vision 2025 was crafted to ensure that member countries are attuned to regional and global trends and opportunities, building a resilient, inclusive, sustainable and economically competitive sub-region.
Marcos expressed confidence that through cooperation, BIMP-EAGA nations will continue to transform their aspirations to create a “lasting impact for our peoples.”
“Together, we have laid down stronger foundations for inclusive, sustainable and innovation-driven growth,” he said.
“Our joint initiatives in connectivity, trade and investment facilitation, food and energy security, eco-tourism and green development have advanced significantly, reinforcing our commitment to narrowing the development gap in our sub-region.”
Established in 1994, the BIMP-EAGA is a cooperation initiative to spur development in remote and less developed areas in the participating Southeast Asian countries.
The Philippines serves as chair of this year’s BIMP-EAGA summit.
