Strong sub-regional cooperation is crucial to helping Southeast Asia withstand the challenges of the current global economic downturn, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Haruhiko Kuroda said.

"Regional cooperation becomes even more important as we seek to pursue joint approaches and pool our resources to cope with difficulties that we all face," an ADB press release on Saturday quoted Kuroda as saying.

It said Kuroda made such appeal at the 4th Indonesia-Malaysia- Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) Summit, as well as at the 5th Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Summit, both held recently in Thailand.

Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand launched the IMT-GT program in 1993 while the BIMP-EAGA program was launched in 1994. The initiatives seek to expand opportunities for trade and investment in the two sub-regions to support sustainable economic growth.

ADB said BIMP-EAGA has made progress toward improving transport links, facilitating trade and developing economic corridors.

ADB will this year conduct further work to help develop three connectivity corridors in this sub-region and kick off studies to facilitate trade, improve logistics and streamline customs with a view to enhancing sub-regional trade and accelerating growth in the participating provinces and states.

ADB also expects to unveil a plan later this year to involve other development partners and private investors in IMT-GT, a reflection of ADB's confidence in the region's potential.

The bank said the sub-region could become a major player in the regional and global food market.

"To increase productivity in the agriculture sector, increased investment is needed in infrastructure development, technology upgrading, and marketing support," Mr. Kuroda told the BIMP-EAGA Summit.

Policies on trade in agriculture products also need to be reformed to eliminate non-tariff trade barriers, Kuroda said, adding that ADB will continue its technical and lending assistance to foster development in those areas.

(Xinhua News Agency February 28, 2009)