The City Government of Davao has declared October 20-26, 2014 a celebration week for BIMP-EAGA and IMT-GT as it plays host to an international trade fair and business leaders conference to be held at SM Lanang Premier’s SMX Convention Center.
Dubbed as the 2nd BIMP-EAGA & IMT-GT Trade Fair and Business Leaders’ Conference, the event expects to draw around 800 business leaders, government officials, traders, and potential investors from across five countries within ASEAN. More than 200 international exhibitors are also expected to participate in the trade fair.
BIMP-EAGA stands for Brunei Darussalam Indonesia Malaysia the Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area, while the IMT-GT stands for Indonesia Malaysia Thailand Growth Triangle. Both sub-regional groupings are among the most dynamic economic cooperation in ASEAN.
“The City of Davao welcomes this event as an opportunity, not only for Davaoeños, but also for residents and entrepreneurs in other cities and municipalities in Mindanao, to effectively promote investments and generate trade in their respective jurisdiction,” Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said in Proclamation No. 3, signed on April 8, 2014.
The city government also issued an executive order creating the BIMP-EAGA & IMT-GT Committee to serve as the main collaborating arm of the city with the other local and national agencies involved in the preparation for the event.
Overall preparations are spearheaded by the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), the Philippine Coordinating Office for BIMP-EAGA.
At the City-led committee meeting held this week, MinDA Executive Director Janet Lopoz encouraged Davao City and Mindanao-based entrepreneurs to participate in the said international event, which provides strategic opportunities for trade and investments.
“Beyond mere showcase of unique products and investment opportunities from across the five countries, this international trade fair and conference will also benchmark on the our preparedness for the ASEAN economic integration by 2015,” she said.
The weeklong event is also a commemorative celebration of BIMP-EAGA’s 20th this year. BIMP-EAGA was launched in 1994 in Davao City as a key strategy to accelerate social and economic development of less developed areas in participating countries.
Other activities featured during the weeklong celebration also include East ASEAN Film Festival, ASEAN Street Food Festival, Information Communication and Technology (ICT) Summit and Innovation Expo, Importers/Exporters Forum and a Golf Tournament.
