As integration with the world economy increases, ASEAN finds itself facing important opportunities and challenges including the need to better integrate the new members into the regional and global economy. ASEAN leaders have agreed to develop a Roadmap for Integration of ASEAN (RIA) in order to put the objective of regional integration at the centre of ASEAN's cooperation and provide a framework for more coherent implementation of the regional integration programme. A stable, prosperous and highly competitive ASEAN Economic Region is envisioned, in which there is a free flow of goods, services and investments, a freer flow of capital, equitable economic development and reduced poverty and socio-economic disparities.