At the outset, the roles of the private sector and public sector were clearly defined. The private sector is BIMP-EAGA’s engine of growth while the public sector is the enabler or facilitator of this growth.
The Founders of BIMP-EAGA recognized the vital role of the private sector in achieving the development objectives of the growth area. It is, after all, the private sector that eventually decides and actually invests in projects that fuel the engines of development.Thus, the economic development strategy of the subregion is directed at enhancing the ability of the private sector to take advantage of and realize EAGA-wide investment opportunities.
As enabler and facilitator of growth, the public sector is expected to carry out two major activities:

a) To create a general environment that is conducive to economic cooperation and to empower the private sector by providing the following:
• A facilitative framework created by coordinating and harmonizing public policy to establish a conducive and unified investment climate.
• Adequate physical infrastructure needed to link the businesses of the subregion and to improve their access to regional and global markets.
• Effective commercial infrastructure by providing finance, information, and skills to improve entrepreneurial capacity and capability

b) To Directly encourage the realization of cross-border trading and investment opportunities through specific policies, programs, and projects that provide for increased investments in the productive sectors, e.g. agriculture, fisheries, forestry, tourism, and industrial development.

To operationalize the BIMP-EAGAinitiative, a subregional institutional framework was established. The organizational and institutional structures were intended to effectively support private sector participation in the subregion’s development activities.

BIMP-EAGA Summit. BIMP-EAGA Summit is the highest policy level mechanism where EAGA accomplishments are reported and directions from the leaders received. The BIMP-EAGA Summit is held annually.

The Senior Officials Meeting and Ministers Meeting (SOMM). The principal mechanism for consultations between and among the participating countries is the Senior Official Meeting or the SOMM. The SOMM provides the strategic directions and general policy guidelines in addition to drawing the attention of the central governments to the development requirements of the focal areas. To date, 17 Senior Official Meetings and 12 Ministers Meeting have been held.

National Secretariat. Consistent with the decision to adopt a decentralized structure, no central secretariat was initially established in BIMP-EAGA. Instead, each participating country designated a ministry or agency that would act as their respective National Secretariat. The National Secretariat is the focal point for the exchange of information and coordination of programs related to the growth area and is tasked with ensuring that in-country initiatives are maintained. National Secretariat also provide administrative support to the Ministers and Senior Officials.

BIMP-EAGA Business Council. The BIMP-EAGA Business Council (BEBC) is the official representative organization of the private sector in EAGA. In recognition of its standing as an equal partner in the development of the subregion, BEBC was accorded “fifth country” status in 1997.

As the voice of the EAGA private sector, BEBC brings directly to the attention of the participating governments the concerns and vies of the private sector.

BEBC Secretariat. The Secretariat provides technical and administrative support to the BEBC Board and focal organizations in coordinating and strengthening private sector participation in EAGA. It also serves as the counterpart of BIMP-FC for the private sector and helps foster closer economic cooperation among EAGA business organization. Country focal organization serves as a coordinators and facilitators of in-country private sector participation.

Working Groups. Eleven Working Groups representing the priority sectors of cooperation were established to (i) identify the opportunities and constraints to cooperation development, (ii) formulate the action plans to accelerate growth in the subregion, and (iii) provide the strategic direction in the identified sectors of cooperation. The Working Group (WG) is the core mechanism at the operational level. It is composed of representatives from the appropriate government agencies both at the national and subregional levels and individuals and groups representing the private sector from the local areas. The WGs provide the flexibility to address a wide range of issues and demands. It is at the level of the WGs where diverse interest, issues, and priorities of the public and private sectors converge and where project priorities are identified. Thirteen WGs were created initially but have subsequently been reduced to eleven as a result of the merger of some WGs. Each Working Group has a designated lead country.

Development Partners and Partner Organization. Since 2001, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has been designated as EAGA’s Regional Development Advisor. As such, ADB provides advisory and technical assistance in providing strategic directions, facilitating EAGA projects and activities, mobilizing resource, and strengthening institutions, among others. In 2005, the Northern Territory of Australia became EAGA first development partner. The People’s Republic of China became the second development partner with the signing of its framework of cooperation with EAGA in 2008. Other partner organizations include the ASEAN Secretariat, German Technical Cooperation Agency, ASEAN Japan Center, and Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) that assists BIMP-EAGA implement its development activities.