Asean Transport Ministers Agree to Ease Movement of People in Region
Jakarta. The transportation ministers of member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or Asean, signed four agreements during a meeting in Singapore on Friday (13/10), aimed at easing movement in the region and establishing an efficient transportation system to facilitate the bloc’s vision of regional integration.
The agreements include liberalization of air transportation services, a protocol on domestic code-share flights in the region, and the adoption of the Asean Air Traffic Management Master Plan, according to a joint ministerial statement issued by the Asean Secretariat.
The ministers also signed a mutual recognition arrangement on flight-crew licensing and concluded an agreement on the facilitation of cross-border transport of passengers by road vehicles.
This agreement aims to increase connectivity between citizens in Asean, while also promoting tourism and investment as part of a move by the bloc to realize its vision of a closely connected and well-integrated community.
Budi Karya Sumadi, Indonesia's minister of transportation, also met with his Malaysian counterpart, Liow Tiong Lai, on the sidelines of the 23rd Asean Transport Ministers Meeting to discuss the potential for closer cooperation in Indonesia's infrastructure development.
"We also discussed the possibility for Malaysia's state-owned enterprises to take part in Indonesia's infrastructure development. Malaysia also expressed interest in purchasing trains from Industri Kereta Api [INKA]," Budi said, as quoted in a press release issued by the Ministry of Transportation.
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