Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Philippine President Benigno S Aquino III at a joint press conference here on Friday, after a bilateral meeting between the two countries delegations, said, "With regard to regional and international cooperation, we have agreed to increase the effectiveness of the cooperation in the BIMP EAGA framework."
President Yudhoyono was in Philippines on a reciprocal state visit, following the Philippine President Aquinos tour of Jakarta previously, and also to attend the World Economic Forum on East Asia.
The BIMP EAGA border economic cooperation framework was launched in 1994 in Davao in Mindanao, Philippines, based on the initiative of the former Philippine President Fidel V Ramos.
The cooperation framework is aimed at promoting regional economic growth in the border areas in the four countries through initiatives of the private sector.
"We feel cooperation projects under the framework will benefit our people, including the people of Brunei and Malaysia, by increasing connectivity, reviving local economies, and developing transportation and tourism sectors," Yudhoyono said.
In view of that, he added, "We wish to extend it by inviting private businesses and local governments to be more pro-active and take the initiative to forge concrete cooperation projects under the BIMP EAGA framework."
President Yudhoyono said in the meeting earlier with President Aquino at the ASEAN Summit in Myanmar, the two heads of state had also agreed to ensure more effective and concrete implementation of the BIMP EAGA.
He added there were also other areas that can be a source of further cooperation between the two countries, including trade and investment.
He said the two countries fast economic growth can be the capital for opening further cooperation opportunities.
"I am convinced we can increase the cooperation in the next few years in line with the two countries strong economic development," he said, while praising President Aquinos success in managing his countrys economy to make the Philippine economic growth rate among the highest in the world.
President Aquino on the occasion said their meeting was productive for developing further the relationship between the two countries.
He said he had also agreed to promote the BIMP EAGA to make it more effective.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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