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The study examines potential investment opportunities for cross-border value chains in the economic corridors of the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA). Both BIMP-EAGA corridors are at early stages of development, and the Greater Sulu Sulawesi Economic Corridor more so than the West Borneo Economic Corridor. Their successful transformation into full-fledged economic corridors depends on trade and investment facilitation policies and programs, and the establishment of appropriate connectivity, with the necessary hard and soft infrastructure. To that end, policymakers are focusing on connectivity and helping to facilitate the efficient movement of goods and people along the corridors in order to attract investment that supports and builds networks of high value and technologically sophisticated industries across borders.

There are 12 priority industries identified by provincial or state governments along the two corridors having a large potential for success as corridor-wide value chains, specifically from increased competitiveness, complementarities, cost efficiencies, employment generation, and increased access to inputs and markets. They included industries producing physical goods as well as those that provide services: agro-processing; aquaculture and fishery products; palm oil; pharmaceuticals; crude oil and gas extraction and petrochemicals; coal, aluminum and steel; agricultural products; livestock products; timber-based products; tourism; information and communication technology (ICT); and education.