This pre-feasibility study develops a practical and implementable program to develop the Sarawak (Malaysia)–West Kalimantan (Indonesia) border area (within a broad geographic context), based on specific industry value chains. It identifies concrete and high-impact projects that will advance implementation of an integrated border area development program for West Kalimantan. It maps the optimal configuration of Sarawak–West Kalimantan cross-border trade and investment in goods and services; and, concurrently, provides the design of a border area development plan for the two territories. As a pre-feasibility study, we examine a wide range of industry options and determine which projects are economically viable within the socioeconomic, institutional, and political context of Sarawak and West Kalimantan. We follow the same analytical approach as that for the pilot project study of North Kalimantan and Sabah, which serves as a high-profile demonstration pre-feasibility study for this and other border area development programs.

This study maps the optimal configuration of North Kalimantan–Sabah cross-border trade and investment in goods and services; and, concurrently, it provides a preliminary (pre-feasibility) design of a border area development plan for the two territories. The options for moving project proposals forward are elaborated in sufficient detail and contain the needed concrete measures that will permit the overall collaboration program to move through subsequent stages of development into the final implementation and operational phases.

There are six objectives to the study. The first is to analyze existing trade patterns between Sabah and North Kalimantan and the competitive advantages of the two territories. The second is to propose a border economic area spread over a wide geographic area that covers a network of interrelated activities. The third is to investigate a range of cross-border trade and investment opportunities in specific goods and services that can serve as high-profile, demonstrable projects for the border economic area. The fourth is to determine the preference orderings of project features by key stakeholders such as government and development partners, commercial entities, and the local population. The fifth is to estimate the net monetary returns for the project portfolio, ranks stakeholders’ non-monetary preferences, and incorporate the latter results into the net monetary returns. And the sixth is to provide an overall program appraisal for the set of projects, including an impact analysis of connectivity options.

The report provides a review and analysis of the findings from the scoping study on the proposed Malaysian–Thailand Special Border Economic Zone (SBEZ). The coverage of the study is guided by the recommendations of the IMT-GT Special Implementation Task Force on the Establishment of a Special Border Economic Zone (hereafter TF-SBEZ) at its meeting in Penang, Malaysia on 22 November 2013. At that time, the TF-SBEZ determined that that present study should be a stand-alone study, comprehensive in nature and cover in-depth all the SBEZ components for each of the eight border crossing areas in the Thai-Malaysian border, including linkages to Indonesia.

Based on those findings, the TF-SBEZ requested that the present study make recommendations to the Task Force on the possible location(s) of the SBEZ. The study is part of a broader project that intends to support the establishment of an SBEZ that will help to attract investors in productive activities that promote subregional value chains in order to stimulate cross-border trade and investment, serve as a catalyst to commerce along the IMT-GT corridors and help to substantially improve the social and economic welfare of the population along the border provinces.

The objective of the technical assistance is to (i) develop and deliver a training program for chambers of commerce and industry of nine provinces traversed by the GMS EWEC of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Thailand and Vietnam; (ii) carry out a critical review of a previous study on the GMS value chains scoping exercise, and conduct consultations with EWEC countries in the selection of agricultural value chain products(s) and in the preparation of action plans mapping those value chains and the establishment of organic producer clusters along the EWEC; (iii) prepare a brochure outlining the ways, steps, inputs, risks and other requirements in value chain participation for use in the future training by local CCIs and their application by production associations and micro/small and medium size enterprises; and (iv) organize workshops/training courses and a trade forum on value chain integration, cluster development, organic production and certification, and linking producers/clusters established under the RETA to processing/packaging plants, supermarket chains, regional supply chains and high-end export markets.

Successful implementation among 4 large farmer groups of value chain mapping and clustering of organic vegetables along East-West Economic Corridor of Greater Mekong Subregion.

Trade-related poverty impact assessment of cross-border trade impact on poverty and social issues along East-West Economic Corridor of Greater Mekong Subregion.

The present study bring together in a systematic manner the available information from recent expenditure and consumption surveys for Laos as they relate to the impact of the EWEC on different social and economic aspects of households in the Lao PDR province of Savannakhet. The intent is to provide a means of identifying the progress being made in the ADB’s GMS corridor initiatives and to identify areas for further interventions. The study is part of the ADB’s continuing work on the social and general welfare impact of the GMS corridors. That work includes efforts to formulate recommendations and action plans for mitigating possible negative effects from the associated economic transformation of the areas surrounding the corridors. The study also supports the ADB’s other work on the impact of cross-border trade and investment on poverty alleviation. Finally, it complements new work being carried out on corridor towns, particularly those related to border town development.

Strategy and Action Plan for East-West Economic Corridor and results-oriented framework for poverty reduction and growth

Support for border town development along major economic corridors of Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) through value chain development, creation of business development centers, and identification of investment opportunities.

Trade-related capacity building component design for Lao PDR's multi-donor Trade Development Facility covering SPS and TBT measures, regulatory framework, production/trade promotion, and trade policies