112. Overall, there is a need to promote links and interface among the various sub-regions
to broaden and deepen these partnerships, given the larger geographical coverage and
synergy that can be generated among the sub-regions. ASEAN makes available a broader
regional framework in which these sub-regional programmes can carry out their work since
many ASEAN and GMS, BIMP-EAGA, and IMT-GT activities share the same purpose.
Since the participating countries in these sub-regional programmes are members of ASEAN,
there may exist overlapping country participation and geographical coverage in the subregional
programmes. Many ASEAN programmes, especially those in infrastructure, human
resources and the environment, could be implemented with greater focus and at a more rapid
pace when carried out in the smaller area and context of the sub-regions. Enhancing
coordination among the GMS, BIMP-EAGA and IMT-GT sub-regional programmes with
ASEAN will help bridge the gap between project-driven “bottom-up” and policy-driven “topdown”
approaches to economic integration and promote closer linkages between the subregional
programmes and ASEAN. It will also be necessary to examine how to more closely
coordinate the three sub-regional programmes in terms of sub-regional analyses and
assessments, and programme and project planning.