11th BIMP-EAGA And 9th IMT-GT Summits Begin Tuesday

LANGKAWI, April 28 (Bernama) -- The 11th Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Phillipines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Summit and the 9th Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) Summit begin here Tuesday at the Langkawi International Convention Centre (LICC). Held as part of the just-concluded 26th ASEAN Summit, these half-day back-to-back discussions are seen to be very crucial as both BIMP-EAGA and IMT-GT have become platforms for sub-regional integration that will directly contribute to the realisation of the ASEAN integration. Leaders of BIMP-EAGA would discuss on the progress of the sub-region's initiatives at the 11th BIMP-EAGA Summit. The pillars of the initiatives were connectivity, tourism, environment, socio-cultural and education. Meanwhile, among issues to be discussed at the 9th Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) Summit would be ways to accelerate economic transformation in less developed provinces within the sub-region. Leaders would also discuss the possible construction of an additional bridge between Malaysia and Thailand and the countries' readiness in terms of customs, immigration and other authorities. Both summits will be chaired by Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak (two, right). Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah (left), Indonesia's vice-president Jusuf Kalla (two, left), the Philippines president Benigno S. Aquino III (right) and Thailand's Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha are attending the summits. The BIMP-EAGA is a sub-regional economic co-operation initiative in Southeast Asia formed in 1994. Its vision is to realise socially acceptable and sustainable economic development and the full participation of the sub-regions in the ASEAN development process. IMT GT, formed a year ahead of BIMP-EAGA has four signature projects which will contribute to the ASEAN Community this year namely the Green Cities Initiatives; Special Border Economic Zone; Melaka-Dumai RoRo operations and Melaka-Pekanbaru Power Interconnection. (photoBERNAMA) -- BERNAMA