Senior officials from the BIMP-EAGA business councils and authorities including the Brunei BIMP-EAGA Business Council (Brunei BEBC) recently gathered at the Mulia Hotel to discuss the way forward on structuring this year’s collaboration.
The three-day Strategic Plan Meeting (SPM) saw the attendance of several representatives from several government agencies including the Ministry of Finance and Economy, the Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications as well as the Asian Development Bank, ASEAN Secretariat and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP).
Launching the event was the Permanent Secretary (Economy, Trade and Industry) at the Ministry of Finance and Economy (MoFE) Dr Hajah May Fa’ezah Haji Ahmad Ariffin.
In her welcoming remarks, Dr Hajah May Fa’ezah highlighted the need to lay the groundwork for BIMP-EAGA’s Post 2025 which needs to be in tandem with the directives issued during the 25th BIMP-EAGA Ministerial Meeting, previously held in Pontianak, Kalimantan last year.
“At the (meeting), our ministers highlighted a number of directives which includes welcoming the recommendations from the ‘Accelerating Cooperation Together BEV2025 Mid-Term Review (MTR)’ to deliver the three main outcomes of clean and green manufacturing; competitive and climate-resilient agro-industry and fisheries; and well-developed multi- country tourism destination,” she said.
Dr Hajah May Fa’ezah also commended the Post BIMP-EAGA Vision 2025 forum which was part of the SPM as being timely, believing that it will add value and substance to the meeting.
“I understand pertinent topics will be presented and discussed at this Forum (including) ASEAN’s current and future initiatives (such as) the ASEAN’s Community Post 2025 Vision and the role of BIMP-EAGA as a building block towards ASEAN Integration,” she said.
“I would like to also take the opportunity to underline that we must not lose sight of our core objective of being here, specifically to refine the overall projects and explore viable ones that are realistically achievable within the period of the BIMP-EAGA Vision 2025…
“Focus should not be given on quantity but to concentrate on quality of the projects that will have the most impact and benefit for BIMP-EAGA,” the permanent secretary added.
The SPM is an event held annually, gathering all relevant stakeholders in BIMP-EAGA to strategise and chart the direction of their yearly cooperation.
Established in 1994, BIMP-EAGA is an initiative among Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines to accelerate socioeconomic development in the sub-region.
Also present at the event was the Deputy Permanent Secretary (Trade and Industry) at the MOFE Mohammad Harris Brigadier General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Haji Ibrahim was also present.
Waqiuddin Rajak
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
MEDIASTAR
