ASEAN leaders have agreed to reduce disparity in development in the member countries during an informal gathering held on the sidelines of the IMF-WB annual meetings in Bali, Indonesia.

Ananta News reported that President Joko Widodo said in a press statement after the ASEAN Leaders` Gathering on Thursday said ASEAN leaders agreed on the importance of reducing disparity and gaps in development in each member country and between member countries.

“The step is important to assure that no one is left behind,” he said.

President Jokowi also underlined the importance of a synergy between the regional organization and the United Nations.

He also emphasized the importance of Sustainable Development Goals, which are also taken on priority by Indonesia while it is a non-permanent member of the UN.

“During the meeting, I also raised several issues including the importance of the mechanism of regional and global cooperation for sustainable development efforts after disasters,” he said.

President Jokowi also emphasized the importance of prioritizing SDGs in the national development of each member country.

He also underlined the importance of synergy between regional and global organizations and financial institutions to achieve the SDGs.

“Regarding ASEAN, it is important for ASEAN and the UN to synergize the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 with the 2030 development agenda. One of the challenges to achieve the SDGs is funding,” he said.

Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha was among the ASEAN leaders attending the gathering which also saw the presence of IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde, World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

Antara News said the meeting, co-chaired by the Indonesian president and Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong,  carried the theme “Achieving SDGs and Overcoming the Development Gap through Regional and Global Collaborative Actions”.