Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT)

View: IMT-GT Economic Corridor Study Executive Summary

ADB's Partnership with IMT-GT

Following the request for assistance from the governments of the three countries in 1993, ADB came up with a seven-volume study in 1995, prepared by more than 30 experts, which identified nearly 100 projects, programs and policies required to develop the growth triangle in the next ten years.

The study identified five priority sectors for possible cooperation:

• trade
• investment and labor mobility;
• transportation and communications;
• agriculture and fisheries;
• industry and energy;
• tourism

The findings of the study were summarized in a subsequent ADB Publication in 1996 (See IMT-GT Theory to Practice).

However, while there were early gains, IMT-GT cooperation was constrained by the regional impact of the 1997 financial crisis. This has led to putting greater emphasis on the capacity building process to ensure a more sustainable impact on development.

In December 2001, ADB approved the project Strengthening the Subregional Cooperation in the Transport Sector of the EAGA and the IMT-GT Regions [PDF: 77kb | 15 pages] to review the key issues affecting the transport sector, since the countries concerned require such information, and its analysis, to discuss and agree on the necessary collective actions.

Regional leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the revitalization of two subregional initiatives, the IMT-GT and the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) and acknowledged their importance.

ADB participated, along with the ASEAN Secretariat, in the 2nd BIMP-EAGA and 1st IMT-GT Leaders' Summits held alongside the 2005 ASEAN Leaders' Summit, where it was decided that the Leaders' Summit would be held annually at the time of ASEAN Leaders' meetings. ADB was requested to continue its critical role in enhancing institutional capacity for both initiatives, including giving priority to helping develop the road map for IMT-GT.

In May 2006, at the informal IMT-GT Senior Officials' Meeting in Indonesia, ADB was invited to be a Development Partner to IMT-GT, and requested to formulate a road map for IMT-GT. The road map has since been prepared and endorsed at the IMT-GT Leaders' Summit in Cebu in January 2007.

In November 2006, ADB approved the project Enhancement of Subregional Cooperation in BIMP-EAGA and IMT-GT [PDF: 82kb | 16 pages].This project will provide ADB with the means to enhance its role in IMT-GT by addressing road map implementation issues within a results-focused framework and enhancing necessary institutional capacities.

Since becoming the IMT-GT development partner in 2006, ADB has supported institutional strengthening and a study for the development of infrastructure and connectivity, which are key elements of the IMT-GT Roadmap.

ADB's future support to IMT-GT will be in line with ADB's new Regional Cooperation and Integration (RCI) Strategy, which calls for enhanced partnership with IMT-GT through:

• support for development of economic connectivity corridors;
• support for institutional strengthening and capacity building for programme management;
• promotion of trade and investment such as through database development and trade and investment surveys;
• enhancement of sustainable environmental management