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Economic Corridors

Entikong–Tebedu border crossing. Photo credit: iStock/Ridham Supriyanto.
Economic corridors enhance connectivity and trade. The Entikong–Tebedu border crossing facilitates the movement of people and goods between West Kalimantan in Indonesia and Sarawak in Malaysia. Photo credit: iStock/Ridham Supriyanto.

BIMP-EAGA is taking an integrated approach to the development of four reconfigured, expanded, and new economic corridors.

BIMP-EAGA adopted economic corridors as a development strategy in 2007. However, after 17 years of implementation, the subregion needs to transition from transport-centric corridors to its original concept of spatial or area-based corridors to spread the benefits of development to marginalized areas and contribute to sustainable and inclusive growth.

BIMP-EAGA has three existing economic corridors: West Borneo Economic Corridor (WBEC), Greater Sulu–Sulawesi Seas Corridor (GSSC), and East Borneo Economic Corridor (EBEC). These will be reconfigured and expanded. A fourth economic corridor will also be developed.

Under the new approach, the BIMP-EAGA economic corridors are envisioned to function as a network. The corridors are interlinked and not delimited by geography. They are influenced by wide-ranging factors to expand functional economic areas. Over time, it is expected that more overlaps or interlinks across corridors will develop as the subregion moves toward becoming one seamless BIMP-EAGA growth area.

The four economic corridors are named according to the geographical orientation of BIMP-EAGA. The reconfigured and expanded economic corridors are Economic Corridor 1 (EC1) to be named as the West Economic Corridor (WEC), Economic Corridor 2 (EC2) as the Central Economic Corridor (CEC), and Economic Corridor 3 (EC3) as the North–South Economic Corridor (NSEC). Economic Corridor 4 (EC4) is a new economic corridor to be called the East Economic Corridor (EEC). 

ExistingReconfigured, Expanded or New Economic Corridor
West Borneo Economic Corridor (WBEC)EC1: West Economic Corridor (WEC)
Brunei
Darussalam
Indonesia
Malaysia
Philippines

Areas
Belait, Brunei-Muara, Temburong, and Tutong; West Kalimantan, Federal Territory of Labuan, Sabah, and Sarawak; and Basilan, Palawan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga Sibugay


Development Strategy and Sector Opportunities
Oil and gas corridor, transport hub, and logistics corridor; light manufacturing, palm oil and wood-based processing, and tourism; a potential financial and digital hub; opportunities in community-based ecotourism, renewable energy development and carbon capture, use, and storage.

East Borneo Economic Corridor (EBEC)EC2: Central Economic Corridor (CEC)
Indonesia
Malaysia
Philippines

Areas
Central, East, North and South Kalimantan; Sabah and Sarawak; and Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga Sibugay


Development Strategy and Sector Opportunities
Cross-border trade epicentrum; solid prospects for clean energy and trade of halal-certified goods; also poised to become a regional logistics hub for various industries.

Greater Sulu–Sulawesi Seas Economic
Corridor (GSSC)1		EC3: North–South Economic Corridor (NSEC)
Indonesia
Philippines

Areas
Central Sulawesi, Gorontalo, North Sulawesi, South Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, and West Sulawesi; and Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Bukidnon, Camiguin, Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental, Davao Oriental, Dinagat Islands, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, North Cotabato, Sarangani, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Surigao del Norte, and Surigao del Sur


Development Strategy and Sector Opportunities
Maritime corridor with existing barter trade; high potential for agribusiness, food and fish processing, and tourism; environment corridor with some areas identified as ecological frontiers.

---EC4: East Economic Corridor (EEC)
Indonesia

Areas
North Sulawesi, Central Papua, East Kalimantan, Highland Papua, Maluku, North Maluku, Papua, South Papua, South Sulawesi, Southwest Papua, and West Papua


Development Strategy and Sector Opportunities
Fisheries sector and tourism offer highest potential for growth.

1From the original GSSC, Sabah and Palawan are moved to the reconfigured Economic Corridor 1: West Economic Corridor (WEC), while Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga Sibugay are also part of WEC as well as the reconfigured Economic Corridor 2: Central Economic Corridor.

 

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