The Asia-Pacific region has recorded significant results when carrying out its Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said.

The UN Secretary-General stated this in his message to the ministerial meeting on the progress of MDGs in the Asia-Pacific region, which took place in the Indonesian capital city of Jakarta on August 3.

The meeting was also a valuable chance to appraise the strategies successfully carried out in each of the region’s countries.

Ban Ki-moon called on the meeting to focus on the development gap and the challenges that face the region. He stressed on the need to help countries that have been left behind, especially the 14 most under-developed nations and developing island states in the region.

Ajay Chhibber, the UN’ Assistant Secretary General, underlined that although several countries are struggling, a large number have already achieved their goals while many others are close to success.

He added that the region could achieve its MDGs by 2015, with amazing results being recorded by Nepal , Thailand , Malaysia , China and Vietnam .

Ajay Chhibber said the UN is calling on the region to continue with its efforts to increase the role of the international community, cooperation between South-South and North-South countries and regional cooperation to support each other and achieve their MDGs.

Asia needs to focus on infant mortality rates, malnutrition, education, health and sanitation, he said./.