In response to the unprecedented nature of the COVID-19 crisis, there were early and widespread calls for cohesive global action to address the novel global threat, which was quickly evolving in scale and severity. States, including those in the G20, declared their readiness to support a co-ordinated response to the pandemic alongside the World Health Organisation (WHO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank Group (WB), United Nations (UN) and other partners to address the complex and intertwined health, social, and economic impacts of the crisis.
This report describes how multilateral organisations worked together to respond to the diverse impacts of COVID-19 and how this co-ordination contributed to pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. In particular, coordination contributed to the sharing of knowledge and evidence around the evolution of the pandemic, policy and operational coherence, and evidence-based joint programming. Co-ordination among multilateral organisations ultimately helped expand fiscal space for the implementation of national emergency responses, reinforced national capacity to respond to the health impacts of the crisis, and contributed to the development of effective vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics in record time.
Despite the important role that co-ordination among multilateral organisations played in responding to the pandemic, significant challenges were faced in launching a coherent global response. As international attention turns toward “building back better” and addressing new crises, it is essential to learn lessons from COVID-19 to address other complex, transboundary development challenges that cannot be addressed by individual states in isolation. This report identifies key lessons and policy implications to enhance multilateral co-ordination and effectiveness going forward, both to address future health emergencies and regain lost ground on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
