Thursday, April 19, 2012

Airlines' pledge to boost BIMP-EAGA connectivity

KOTA KINABALU: Key airlines' chief executive officers and tour operators from the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) concluded a two-day summit in Davao, the Philippines, yesterday, determined to further enhance inter-connectivity.

Dubbed as the First Equator Asia Air Access Forum and Airline CEOs Summit, it laid the groundwork for better inter-connectivity between and among the EAGA's focus areas, including its word-class tourist destinations, branded as "Equator Asia".

Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) chairperson and the Philippine Signing Minister to BIMP-EAGA, Luwalhati Antonio, said about a hundred delegates from the four-member countries attended the summit.

She said connectivity had been a major challenge to the Philippines, particularly Mindanao and Palawan, noting that unlike the other member countries, "we are separated by the waters".

The Philippines had been pushing for more airline connectivity with Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia so that there would be freer movement of people, goods and services within the sub-region.

Reiterating that the idea of creating the sub-grouping was to increase trade, tourism and investments in the EAGA focus areas, Antonio said it could only be realised if efficient transport networks and infrastructures were in place.

Continue reading at: Airlines' pledge to boost BIMP-EAGA connectivity
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