Bandar Seri Begawan - An agreement will soon be signed which will facilitate and ease the movement of goods by the private sector across the BIMP-EAGA sub-region, according to the Deputy Permanent Secretary (Trade) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

"Whenever goods flow from one BIMP-EAGA country to another point in a BIMP-EAGA country, they will be subjected to CIQS (Customs, Immigration, Quarantine and Security)," Nazmi Mohamad said yesterday in an interview with The Brunei Times.

He said that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on CIQS would soon be signed by the four member countries of the sub-regional growth area, but did not disclose an exact date. However, he noted that the MoU would address issues such as implementing a single, transparent CIQS regime and procedure.

"These are the things that will need to be put in place," he explained.

The issue of cross-border movement was among the concerns raised by the private sector to BIMP-EAGA ministers during the ministerial session with the private sector.

Running for about one hour and a half, the meeting tested a new format, where it allowed members of the private sector to directly relay their concerns to the relevant minister.

Infrastructure, connectivity products such as agriculture, and potential for attracting outside investors were among the issues discussed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade H, Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Dewa Dato Seri Setia Lim Jock Seng told a press conference following the conclusion of the BIMP-EAGA Business Conference yesterday.

"(There was) nothing specific (discussed) in that sense but quite a lot of general points have been made and we have asked senior officials to follow-up," the second minister said.

"These are some of the results of the meeting in Brunei and we hope we'll have a concrete proposal to deliver to the leaders when they meet in October in Phuket (Thailand)".

Meanwhile, Nazmi highlighted that this was reportedly the first time that such an interactive meeting has been carried out with the ministers for the private sector, to which the business have expressed their appreciation for the opportunity and motioned to have it institutionalised as part of the schedule in future BIMP-EAGA meets.

He said that this format allowed the ministers and senior officials to engage with the business community through all clusters, particularly the micro-enterprises.

"With the participation of local government in the substantive deliberations, they will be more appreciative of the challenges faced by public sector on the ground," he said.

"It's real, not just talk, but real action," he said, explaining that the discussions were frank, open and candid and that the ministers, senior officials and private sector would brainstorm to find solutions to the challenges faced.

Apart from the ministers, various local government agencies representatives were also invited to join in the discussion.

-- Courtesy of Brunei Times

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