ASEAN Member States (AMS) have continued to respond rapidly to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), declared by World Health Organisation (WHO) as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern1 , since January 2020. ASEAN has recognised early that the severity of the pandemic impact among AMS would be varied and is dependent on the capacity of public health systems, the size of the informal sector, the initial government containment measures and the economic stimulus response.2 Guided by the spirit of the Charter3 and the nature of how ASEAN carried out initiatives, ASEAN has understood that addressing the pandemic crisis requires a coordinated action in the region to overcome the pandemic that is proactive, all-encompassing (whole-of-community), flexible and agile4 . This has driven the planning and implementation of (1) ASEAN Rapid Assessment: The Impact of COVID-19 on Livelihoods across ASEAN, which findings led to the development and endorsement of (2) The ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework (ACRF), and (3) The ACRF Implementation Plan.

The ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework, known as ACRF, is ASEAN consolidated exit strategy from the pandemic crisis by (1) focusing on key sectors and vulnerable groups that are most affected by the pandemic and (2) identifying measures for a comprehensive recovery in line with sectoral and regional priorities. This is implemented through five key priorities: “Enhancing Health Systems”, “Strengthening Human Security”, “Maximizing the Potential of Intra-ASEAN Market and Broader Economic Integration”, “Accelerating Inclusive Digital Transformation”, and “Advancing towards a More Sustainable and Resilient Future”.4 The framework aims to build a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable recovery in line with the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and beyond. The ACRF Implementation Plan outlines the detailed activities to accelerate and mobilise actions of the ACRF strategy.