Brunei, Indonesia need to improve connectivity
BRUNEI AND Indonesia must improve connectivity to support the goals of the Asean Economic Community (AEC), a diplomat says.
“Indonesia and Brunei as neighbours in Asean must improve relations towards the realisation of the Asean Economic Community at the end of 2015,” said Dr Pribadi Sutiono, deputy chief of mission at the Indonesian Embassy in Brunei.
In a speech delivered at a roundtable discussion on bilateral relations, Pribadi said the countries’ close geographical proximity must be maximised to benefit each other.
“Connectivity between the two countries must also be improved. One aspect of connectivity is transport, with the existence of effective maritime, air and land transport system in place between the two countries,” he said.
Connectivity in the area of information and communications technology (ICT) is equally crucial, he added.
“We are hopeful that when the Asean economies are integrated, [trade] relations among each member country will have also improved,” Pribadi said.
In a previous interview with The Brunei Times, Rudhito Widagdo, minister counsellor for economic affairs at the Indonesian Embassy, said limited air connectivity was hindering trade in the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), one of the region’s sub-groupings.
He had said there were many remote areas and districts within BIMP-EAGA, which required air transport as the fastest and most effective way to boost intra-regional trade given the lack of infrastructure in these areas.
This week’s roundtable discussion with the Brunei business community was held to strengthen bilateral economic relations with Indonesian counterparts.
