1st BIMP-EAGA Agriculture and Fisheries Minister`s Joint Statement

Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines
East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA)
The 1st BIMP-EAGA Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting
26 November 2010
Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia
Joint Statement
1. We, the Ministers of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines under the
Chairmanship of Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries of the Republic of Indonesia
successfully concluded the 1st BIMP-EAGA Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in
Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia on 26 November 2010. We recognised BIMPEAGA’s richness and high biodiversity of marine and terrestrial resources as well as the
significant role and contribution of agro-industry and fisheries towards current
developments and future directions of BIMP-EAGA co-operation, particularly in narrowing
the development gap, alleviating poverty and achieving the Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs). This development will form an important basis in realisation of an ASEAN
Community by 2015.
2. We recognised that BIMP-EAGA, being the largest sub-regional grouping in ASEAN by
virtue of its geographical coverage and one of the most important sub-regional groupings in
terms of economic size, is in a position to offer enormous synergy for accelerating
economic integration in ASEAN. In recognition of this, we reaffirmed our commitment to
further strengthen our co-operation within the overall context of narrowing development
gaps in the South-East Asia and for early realisation of the ASEAN Community.
3. We recognised the potential of BIMP-EAGA as a food basket for ASEAN and the rest of
Asia given its natural resources and endowments. Food basket is a BIMP-EAGA overarching policy framework for agro-industry and fisheries developed with the views to
promote sustainable development and economic integration of agro-industries and fisheries
and ensure food security, promotion of agro-based and fisheries products for export and
sustainable livelihoods of the people and poverty alleviation.
4. To harness the BIMP-EAGA’s food basket potential, we agreed to strengthen our cooperation and collaboration in the area of agro-industry and fisheries development. Priority
areas of co-operation would, among others, include:
a)
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g)
h)
i)
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k)
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improving the implementation of national/local food security policies and initiatives;
ensuring sustainable food production systems;
increasing productivity and profitability by encouraging co-operation in Research
and Development and greater investment;
establishing the food security information system for the sub-region;
providing favourable investment opportunity for BIMP-EAGA;
enhancing competitiveness of food production;
facilitating trade and building consumer confidence by compliance with international
standards;
ensuring ecosystem and environmental integrity;
improving capability building and exchange of expertise;
providing sub-regional food emergency assistance such as establishment of BIMPEAGA buffer stocks;
promoting business incubation services and facilities; and
establishing a BIMP-EAGA “Fund for Food” in the medium term.
5. In elaborating and implementing the food basket policy framework, we tasked our
Agriculture and Fisheries officials in consultation with other relevant bodies such as local
government units, BIMP-EAGA Business Council (BEBC), development partners and
strategic partners to formulate a detailed, strategic doable action plan and an investment
plan as well as to ensure greater ownership, synergies and complementarities, including
exploring innovative ways to enhance the competitiveness of the BIMP-EAGA agro-industry
and fisheries sectors and facilitating the establishment of sub-regional production networks
and value chains in selected priority commodities.
6. We commended the progress made in co-operation on agro-industry and fisheries and
agreed to strengthen co-operation among the Member Countries in line with the food
basket policy framework. Guided by our Leaders’ policy and directives on BIMP-EAGA cooperation, we pledged to embrace food basket as a high priority policy, affirmed our
commitment to food basket policy framework and assured required resources and support
to agro-industry and fisheries sectors towards the goal of transforming BIMP-EAGA into a
dynamic growth area within the ASEAN.
7. We recognised the need to strengthen partnership between the public and private sectors
of BIMP-EAGA in promoting the food basket strategy and the important role the private
sector through BEBC can play to develop the competitiveness of the agro-industry and
fisheries sectors. We urged the private sector and its institutions to seize and translate the
opportunities created from these new initiatives.
8. We acknowledged the progress of BIMP EAGA co-operation over the past years and
expressed appreciation for the assistance and support rendered by various development
partners and international organisations, among others, ASEAN Secretariat, Japan, China,
Asian Development Bank (ADB) and German Technical Cooperation (GTZ). We also
appreciated the contribution from non-government organisations such as the World Wide
Fund for Nature (WWF) and Conservation International (CI).
9. We expressed our sincere appreciation and gratitude to the Governments of the Republic of
Indonesia and Provincial Government of South Sulawesi for the excellent arrangements
and the warm hospitality given for the conduct of the Inaugural Ministers’ Meeting on
Agriculture and Fisheries.
List of Ministers
1. Dr. Fadel Muhammad (Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries) (Republic of Indonesia) Chairman
2. Pehin Dato’ Yahya (Minister of Industry and Primary Resources) (Brunei Darussalam)
3. Dr. Tahlim Sudaryanto (Advisor to Minister of Ministry of Agriculture on International
Cooperation) (Indonesia)
4. Dato’ Wira Mohd. Johari Bin Baharum (Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Agro-Based
Industry) (Malaysia)
5. Mr. Joel S. Rudinas (Undersecretary for Field Operations, Department of Agriculture)
(Philippines)
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