BIMP-EAGA Leaders Look for New Growth Pathways beyond 2025

Buoyed by economic and development gains in the last 3 decades, BIMP-EAGA is looking to chart new pathways to increase trade, tourism, and investment, and foster sustainable, inclusive, and resilient growth beyond 2025 as leaders met in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia on 11 May for the 15th BIMP-EAGA Summit.

During the meeting, His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia President Joko Widodo, Malaysia Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, and Philippines President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos, Jr. endorsed the findings and recommendations of a midterm review of the BIMP-EAGA Vision (BEV) 2025, which details the subregion's economic and development agenda.

The Accelerating Cooperation Together (ACT) midterm review report builds on earlier accomplishments, identifies lessons, and puts forward key actions required to fast-track implementation and results achievements of BEV 2025 as BIMP-EAGA prepares for the next phase of the cooperation program’s development.

The leaders tasked government officials and the private sector to implement measures identified in the ACT report in expanding new focus areas, refining sector strategies and priorities, strengthening project management mechanisms, and improving institutional arrangements. “These measures set the foundation for charting BIMP-EAGA’s new development pathways in the post-2025 agenda,” they said in a joint statement.

Stable fundamentals

The leaders touted BIMP-EAGA’s achievements and resilience after almost 3 decades of cooperation. Despite setbacks due to the prolonged impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the subregion’s economy rebounded, growing 3% in 2021 compared with 1% contraction in 2020. Combined gross domestic product at current prices in 2021 stood at $358.6 billion. Total trade in goods increased by $65.8 billion in 2022. Foreign direct investments jumped to $6.3 billion and domestic investments to $2 billion, signaling investor confidence in the subregion. International tourism arrivals, which had stalled due to the pandemic, is also returning to pre-pandemic levels. 

“Our stable macroeconomic fundamentals are a testament that our steadfast cooperation contributes significantly to regional economic resilience notwithstanding geopolitical tensions, soaring inflation, and fiscal tightening,” the leaders said.

According to the statement, the number of the subregion’s Priority Infrastructure Projects (PIPs) has doubled to 126 projects amounting to $34.45 billion. “The pace of implementation is impressive,” the leaders said, with 49 projects completed, six completing major phases, and 71 in various stages of implementation. Financing for a significant number of PIPs has also been secured. The PIPs consist of roads, bridges, and railways; seaports and airports; cross-border facilities and inland transport services; ICT infrastructure; power interconnections; and urban development infrastructure and services. These projects “have provided our farmers and fisher folks access to markets, delivered reliable energy to rural communities, catalyzed trade in the border areas, and boosted tourist arrivals.”

Restoring connectivity

The leaders welcomed the resumption of air, land, and sea connectivity in BIMP-EAGA and encouraged key stakeholders to work together, especially the private sector to restore suspended routes and start new ones. 

BIMP-EAGA seeks to revive the Tawau–Tarakan, Pontianak–Kuching, Zamboanga–Kota Kinabalu, and Davao–Manado air routes and set up new sea routes for Muara–Puerto Princesa, Tanjung Silopo–Lahad Datu, Bongao–Labuan, and Bongao–Lahad Datu. 

Better connectivity is expected to revive tourism. The leaders commended tourism players for coming up with innovative solutions to enhance travel safety, implement hygiene standards, and deliver high-quality services. “We are optimistic that the tourism industry is bouncing back given increase in tourist arrivals with the ease of travel restrictions and more importantly our unique tourism assets. We commit to improving our tourism development efforts toward greater sustainability, resilience, and innovation to ensure inclusive growth for our local communities.”

BIMP-EAGA and the Indonesia–Malaysia–Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) are also in the midst of implementing a tourism recovery communications plan to boost tourism.

More room for growth

The leaders said BIMP-EAGA will work toward developing special economic zones, improve mobility of people and goods across borders, widen access to sustainable energy resources and to transition to clean energy, intensify the subregion’s digital transformation, prepare the workforce for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and jobs of the future, build a conducive startup ecosystem, integrate subregional value-chain approaches in priority commodities at the project level, promote high-value food industries and smart applications of sustainable farming and fishing, accelerate the subregion’s initiative to build green cities, and advance cultural and creative industries. 

They also encouraged the private sector to expand its membership to include key industry players, chambers of commerce, and micro-enterprises to help achieve expanded joint ventures, cross-border trade, and more active participation in clusters and working groups projects. They also commended the BIMP-EAGA Business Council for its efforts in assisting the subregion’s economic recovery and promoting cross-border economic activities.

Noting efforts to revive and strengthen participation of the BIMP-EAGA states and provincial governments in the subregion’s programs and initiatives, the leaders encouraged the states and provincial governments to mainstream BIMP-EAGA’s development agenda in their policies, plans and initiatives. “We welcome efforts to explore the establishment of the BIMP-EAGA Parliamentary Forum, which aims to foster greater cooperation and understanding among legislators and parliamentarians from the member countries.” 


The leaders reiterated the need and urgency to institutionalize the BIMP-EAGA Facilitation Center to improve coordination and bolster the institutional structures and mechanisms at the subregional level. 


The leaders also thanked BIMP-EAGA’s development partners, including the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Republic of Korea, and Japan for their support in advancing the subregion’s programs and projects. In a speech at the Summit, ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa said, “As we look ahead, several priority areas are crucial for shaping BIMP-EAGA’s future.” He urged member countries to expand economic corridors and bolster special economic zones, address climate change impacts, and strengthen efforts to revive tourism.

The Summit was also attended by ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, Malaysia Economy Minister YB Rafizi Bin Ramli, and Mindanao Development Authority Chair Maria Belen Sunga Acosta. It is held every other year. The 14th Summit was held virtually.