Cross-border Twin Towns in the BBIN Sub-region: Facilitating Intra-regional Trade and Cooperation

Overview

In recent years, enhanced cross-border cooperation and regional economic integration have gained global focus. Economic integration results in increased cross-border activities and networks, facilitating local and regional value chains and inter-linkages with national and global markets. An important way to create such a collaborative ambiance for cooperation and trade is by setting up joint and interconnected economic zones at border points. This Discussion Paper makes an attempt to understand the potential of twin towns in facilitating intra-regional trade and cooperation based on two cases – Tornio (Finland) and Haparanda (Sweden); and Nakhon Phanom (Thailand) and Thakhek (Lao PDR). The paper further explores the possibility of setting up such towns at border points in the BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal) sub-region, particularly at Agartala (India) and Akhaura (Bangladesh); Raxaul (India) and Birgunj (Nepal); Jaigaon (India) and Phuentsholing (Bhutan).