Prepared as the background document for the 3rd Asia-Pacific Forum for South-South and Triangular Cooperation, this report examines the role of South-South and triangular cooperation in building back better from the COVID-19 pandemic in Asia and the Pacific.

The report is structured around three sections. The first section provides an overview of where the region currently stands in terms of socio-economic impacts of COVID-19 in Asia-Pacific. The second section provides examples of the South-South and triangular cooperation actions undertaken by the United Nations, including ESCAP, regional and subregional organizations and countries in Asia and the Pacific to respond to and start recovering from the pandemic. The third section examines ways to accelerate recovery and resilience for all, bringing forward five recommendations for follow-up actions.