This is a similar level as found in countries such as Jordan, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Indonesia and Botswana. The Human development Index, compiled by the United Nations Development Program, is a measure of what are termed "average achievements" in basic human development. The HDI measures a country’s development in terms of income, education levels and life expectancy.
The share of intraregional trade has been increasing and accounts for 58% of the total trade of all the region's countries. Financial interconnectedness is also deepening. These characteristics are shown in Chart 2. Regional policy cooperation is taking place through various platforms.