|
Opening Remarks of the Indonesian President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, at Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Grwoth Triangle Summit, Cebu, the Phillipnes, 12 January 2007
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On behalf of the Indonesian Delegation, allow me to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to the Government and people of the Philippines, for the warm welcome and hospitality accorded to us. I would also like to commend them for the excellent preparations for this second IMT-GT Leaders’ Summit.
I have been looking forward to this Summit. I do regard the IMT-GT as a way of bridging the development gap within ASEAN and, as such, it is a tool of ASEAN economic integration. It will help us achieve the economic pillar of the ASEAN Community.
Excellencies,
Since the inception of IMT-GT in 1993, its area of coverage has increased from 13 to 27 provinces. It has granted observer status to six provinces of Thailand. A number of other organizations and even states have indicated interest in becoming IMT-GT development partners. Interest in sub-regional cooperation is indeed rising.
Since our first Summit in Kuala Lumpur about a year ago, we have had a number of significant achievements. Various projects and programmes have been proposed, and some of them have been carried out. For this dynamism, we can thank our private sectors and our IMT-GT development partners.
I am glad that the Asian Development Bank has become an IMT-GT development partner. I look forward to the ASEAN Secretariat providing a more vigorous institutional support for the IMT-GT, especially in the enhancement of public-private partnership in the Growth Triangle.
And I look forward to the IMT-GT making full use of its natural strength. It has abundant natural resources, capacities and potentials that are yet to be tapped for the welfare of our peoples. The IMT-GT should be able to help accelerate the development of its member countries and help ensure equitable distribution of the benefits of national economic growth.
Although we have accomplished much, we must not be complacent. We face formidable obstacles on the way to our goals. If our efforts are not focused, our abundant resources will not serve the well-being of our peoples.
Moreover, the challenges of the global situation today demand vigorous cooperation at all levels, including the sub-regional level. We need to strengthen our cooperation and coordination, particularly between our Governments and private sectors.
I am therefore glad that the Governors and private sectors of the Growth Triangle held a dialogue in Selangor, Malaysia last September. The growth of mutual understanding as a result of such close contact will lead to concrete action that will promote the sub-region’s economic dynamism.
Excellencies,
During our first Summit, we tasked our Ministers with the drafting of the IMT-GT Roadmap for Development. I am pleased that this Roadmap had been formulated with the assistance of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and was endorsed by the Ministers during their last Meeting in Malaysia last September.
That Roadmap will be of great strategic value as it will refocus the goals and objectives of our cooperation in the Growth Triangle. It will provide comprehensive guidance and concrete recommendations for promoting economic growth, enhancing the prosperity of the peoples of the sub-region, and supporting initiatives for ASEAN integration.
The Roadmap will enable the Governments of the IMT-GT member countries to identify the requirements of cooperation and to formulate harmonized and complementing policies to create a more conducive environment for business. It will also help ensure the long-term sustainability, viability and vitality of the Growth Triangle.
All of us, including the Leaders of the member countries, should therefore be fully committed not only to endorsing the Roadmap but also to implementing it vigorously during its five-year timeline.
Excellencies,
The success of the IMT-GT in increasing prosperity for its peoples will depend first of all on the enhancement of agriculture and agro industry, which are the principal economic sectors of the sub-region. And if the sub-region also has robust and interconnected infrastructure, then its intra-trade and external trade will be vigorous.
With such infrastructure in place, the tourists will come in large numbers, which will make the sub-region’s economy even more dynamic—but only if our human resources are of high quality and we make sustainable use of our natural resources. We must also standardize our customs, immigration, quarantine and security procedures.
On the whole, we have to redouble our effort to simplify trade facilitation mechanisms. Measures aimed at enhancing our competitiveness should be given the highest priority. The Action plan for simplifying, standardizing and harmonizing customs procedures as well as inspection and quarantine measures as incorporated in the Road Map must therefore be faithfully implemented.
In this regard, Indonesia is pilot-testing a National Single Window in Batam, and is ready to implement it in other major cities subsequently. Indonesia stands ready to collaborate with other IMT countries in this endeavour
Excellencies,
Protecting the rights of migrant workers in accordance with the UN Charter and other relevant international covenants on human rights is of paramount importance. Our efforts to protect the rights of migrant workers should be complemented by efforts to get the sending and receiving states to honour their obligations to these workers.
Let me also stress that migrant workers are not only heroes to the sending states because of the money that they remit home, they are also important actors in the development process and economic growth of the receiving states. Thus, creating an auspicious environment for migrant workers in both the countries of origin and countries of destination will be advantageous to everyone involved.
I am therefore particularly happy to note that this important concern is also addressed in the Roadmap.
At the same time we must also focus on strengthening small-medium enterprises, as they can be the backbone of our sub-regional economy. We must facilitate their access to international markets and to credit. And we must promote a partnership between them and the big corporations.
When the resources and management skills of big business are matched with the motivation and resilience of the SMEs, the combination can be formidable.
In themselves, the SMEs are formidable because they make up more than 90 percent of all enterprises. Since they work with the poor, they directly contribute to the welfare of the poor. They create more job opportunities than big corporations, which tend to automate. By empowering the SMEs, we are empowering the poor.
Thus we know what to do in order to ensure the success of this Growth Triangle. We know also what it basically requires: our political commitment.
Let us reaffirm our commitment to revitalizing the IMT-GT and to establishing a seamless, progressive, prosperous and peaceful Growth Triangle. And let us make that commitment meaningful by translating it into action—through the vigorous implementation of the IMT-GT Roadmap for Development.
Thank you.
|
