Regional: Enhancing Effectiveness of Subregional Programs to Advance Regional Cooperation and Integration in Southeast Asia

Energy / Electricity transmission and distribution

Finance / Infrastructure finance and investment funds

Industry and trade / Industry and trade sector development - Trade and services

Information and communication technology / ICT strategy and policy, and capacity development

Public sector management / Economic affairs management

Transport / Multimodal logistics

Water and other urban infrastructure and services / Urban policy, institutional and capacity development

The ADB provided support since 1996 and serves as regional development advisor to BIMP-EAGA and regional development partner to IMT-GT. Summit declarations by both subregional programs highlighted ADB's valuable role in enhancing their effectiveness at strategic, sector, project(s), and institutional levels. In recent years, ADB assistance is through TA 8814 and TA 8836 expected to close in December 2018. TA 8814 achievements include: (i) Green Cities Action Plans (GCAPs) in seven cities and ASEAN green cities network; (ii) preparation of BEV 2025 and IMT-GT Tourism Strategic Framework 2017 2036; (iii) thematic studies on cross-border power interconnections, economic corridors, value chains and border area development; (vi) statistical databases developed, and (vii) capacity building and institutional strengthening for BIMP-Facilitation Center (FC) and Centre for IMT-GT Subregional Cooperation (CIMT), among others. TA 8836, also known as the BIMP-EAGA, IMT-GT and Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Capacity Building Program or B-I-G Program organized 17 trainings and workshops on connectivity and RCI attended by 481 middle and senior level government officials. The B-I-G Program collaborates with 17 partner institutions and promotes knowledge and experience sharing between and among the three subregions. It also tapped the technical expertise and experience of People's Republic of China (PRC) government, education and training institutions in the design and delivery of training programs where the experience of the PRC in national development and RCI highlighted. PRC value-added to the three subregions is unique given it assumes multiple roles as development partner in BIMP-EAGA, as dialogue partner in IMT-GT, and member country in GMS.

The proposed KSTA builds on achievements of previous TAs and is a continuation of ADB support in a more integrated and purposive manner. Instead of having two separate TAs, only one KSTA is proposed for greater coherence, cost-effectiveness, and better results delivery. While ADB support has been for more than a decade, changes in the development landscape, new strategic documents, demand for well-designed subregional projects, and weak institutional capacities require sustained and continuous support. Lessons and successes from TAs 8814 and 8836 incorporated in the design include: (i) strong country ownership and demand; (ii) alignment and coherence with ASEAN; (iii) need for credible subregional project pipelines and more importantly convert these into bankable projects; (iv) systematic approach to results monitoring; (v) effective institutional mechanisms especially strong subregional secretariats needed to sustain cooperation efforts; (vi) government officials need to build capacities for effective implementation of RCI initiatives; and (vii) promote linkages and synergies between and among subregions in ASEAN.

To provide value-adding support to both programs, it is critical to address challenges that hamper their effectiveness as they implement the BEV 2025, IMT-GT Vision 2036, and IMT-GT IB 2017 2021. The new strategic documents included pipeline(s) of projects with priority infrastructure projects amounting to $21.4 billion for BIMP-EAGA and $48.4 billion for IMT-GT aimed at enhancing connectivity in Southeast Asia. Effective functioning of the two subregions are hampered by: (i) weak strategic and institutional links and coordination with ASEAN; (ii) lack of well-designed RCI projects and weak results monitoring; and (iii) limited capacities of government officials to develop and implement RCI policies, programs and projects.

Strategic, sector, and institutional links and coordination between subregional programs and ASEAN improved

Project development and managing for development results enhanced

Capacities of civil servants in design and implementation of RCI policies, programs, and projects enhanced

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak and the resulting quarantines have prevented the conduct of any face-to-face trainings in 2020. To provide continuity to the B-I-G Program's capacity building activities, virtual policy dialogues, webinars, and an online training were conducted in 2020. The TA organized 15 knowledge events and one training on blue finance in 2020. A total of 1,177 government officials and private sector and non-profit organization representatives from ASEAN member countries, PRC, and Timor-Leste including representatives from ADB and development partners attended the green cities forum, PACER Dialogues, BIMP-EAGA webinars, and the blue finance training. Of this, 835 participants are from BIMP-EAGA, IMT-GT, and GMS with 362 (43%) women, and majority (545, 65%) were at the director level and above. In terms of impact, participants have given high marks to the knowledge events and training provided by the program . Initial results of a tracer study were also positive. About 120 (90%) confirmed that they were able to apply their learnings in their workplace.

Twelve virtual Policy Actions for COVID-19 Economic Recovery (PACER) Dialogues were organized to share cutting-edge knowledge and best practices that can help the "B-I-G" member countries, Singapore and Timor-Leste bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic and accelerate economic recovery and strengthen cooperation to mitigate the devastating effects of COVID-19.The twelve PACER Dialogues conducted are listed as follows: i. Tackling COVID-19: Economic and Financial Measures of the Republic of Korea; ii. COVID-19 Response and Recovery: Experience and Lessons of New Zealand; iii. Tourism: Respond, Restart and Recover; iv. Minimum public health interventions for post COVID-19 lockdown: Lives and Livelihoods; v. Bouncing back support to SMEs for COVID-19 Recovery; vi. Migration and Health: Implications of COVID-19 and achieving Universal Health Coverage; vii. Harnessing digital technologies for education amid COVID-19; viii. Post-COVID-19 New Normal: Implications for Startup Ecosystems; ix. Accelerating Digital Financial Services and Infrastructure; x. Enhancing Readiness for Vaccine Distribution; xi. Social protection interventions as medium- and long-term responses to COVID-19 Pandemic; xii. Adaptive control of COVID-19 outbreaks: Policy Approaches.

PACER policy briefs summarizing policy options and key recommendations in each of the dialogues conducted were produced and posted in ADB's knowledge platform, Development Asia (DevAsia).

Two webinars on recovery support to small and medium enterprises and health security cooperation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic for BIMP-EAGA were also organized. The Blue Finance Training: Designing and Financing Bankable Projects in transitioning to a Blue Economy was conducted to help government officials understand the values and components of the blue economy, the importance of a blue recovery post-COVID, and the role of blue finance in supporting the blue economy and achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 14 on life below water. A toolbox approach from available finance mechanisms to fund projects with ocean health components was featured.

The website is continuously being updated to publicize activities under the TA. The website also has a discussion room and provides access to the training materials and related sites for the training content, and a database of government officials as well as knowledge and institutional partners. The website features and functions are also being enhanced to improve user experience.