BY CARLA KRISTINE VIA/UM Intern
Photo by Gio Tanudtanud
MEMBER countries of the BIMP-EAGA (Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area) continue to explore discussions on possibly strengthening ties with the European Union by formally adopting it as a development partner.
This formal partnership is expected to provide more investments and capacity development projects to BIMP-EAGA regions, including Mindanao and Palawan, such as zero import tariffs and access to bigger market destinations in Europe.
Mindanao Development Authority deputy executive director ASec. Romeo Montenegro highlights the importance of the EU’s addition as it has been supporting many initiatives in Mindanao, especially the BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao) Region.
“EU is interested in spreading its collaboration across BIMP-EAGA because the EU, at the ASEAN level, is also accelerating the expansion of its interaction with all other ASEAN countries,” Montenegro said during the Habi at Kapehan press conference on May 13, Wednesday.
MinDA, along with other BIMP-EAGA leaders, will be pursuing further talks to formally adopt the EU as a development partner in the upcoming Ministers’ Meeting in November of this year.
Montenegro also expresses hopes in the upcoming partnership, saying, “We look forward that many of these aspirations in the BIMP-EAGA will eventually be translated into actual projects that will be characterized by private sector involvement translated into investments and so that we will continue to see jobs being recreated, and so that our communities especially in the border areas of the BIMP-EAGA will be able to see the benefits of this regional cooperation translating for them income, jobs, opportunities and a better future.”
