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BIMP-EAGA TO ENHANCE COOPERATION TO
ACCELERATE TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT
Bandar Seri Begawan: The
5th BIMP-EAGA Transport, Infrastructure and ICT Development
(TIICTD) Cluster Meeting ended yesterday with members agreeing to enhance
cooperation to further improve and accelerate transport infrastructure
development in the region. On the status of the
implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Understanding
of Expansion of Air Linkages in BIMP-EAGA, Air Asia is expected to operate
the Kuching – Bandar Seri Begawan route and the Kota Kinabalu – Bandar
Seri Begawan route. Meanwhile, Batavia Airlines was reported to serve the
Pontianak to Bandar Seri Begawan while retaining the existing route
between Pontianak and Kuching. In order to promote air transportation in
BIMP-EAGA, member countries also agreed to exchange information on the
status of their airports towards the compliance of ICAO safety and
security requirements.
The Meeting recognized
the Brunei International Airport as one of the gateways to BIMP-EAGA. The
full implementation of the MoU will support Brunei Darussalam’s vision
to become a hub in the sub-region. With regards to the MoU on Cross-Border Movement of Commercial Buses and Coaches, a task force will be set up to facilitate the implementation of the MoU. Scheduled cross-border buses are expected to commence operation from June 2008. Following the directive of the BIMP-EAGA leaders at the 4th BIMP-EAGA Summit held in Singapore in November 2007, BIMP-EAGA proposed to conclude a MoU to pilot-test the ASEAN Framework Agreements on goods in transit, interstate and multimodal transport. Further to this, member countries formulate guidelines for the early implementation of transportation of goods in transit in BIMP-EAGA. With regards to sea linkages, the car ferry services for Muara-Menumbok and Muara-Labuan are expected to commence service before the end of 2008. In addition, several capacity building programmes in respect to transportation are planned to be carried out in 2008. Issued
by: MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS, BRUNEI
DARUSSALAM |
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