The Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Member States will have new tools to help them address issues related to road freight transport caused by the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the initiatives under the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework. ASEAN has approved guidelines to support the response and recovery of road freight transport among its Member States in the context of the pandemic. 

Developed with the assistance of the International Transport Forum (ITF) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the COVID-19 Recovery Guidelines for Resilient and Sustainable International Road Freight Transport Connectivity in ASEAN were approved ad-referendum by the ASEAN Senior Transport Officials Meeting (STOM) on 11 January 2021.

While the international movement of people and, to some extent, of freight transport has enabled the COVID-19 spread, the role of transport connectivity in dealing with the crisis and post-crisis recovery is more critical than its role in the initial spread of the pandemic. Regional cooperation on transport connectivity helps to provide effective response in the course of a pandemic and in the subsequent recovery efforts rooted in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, building resilience to future pandemics and crises.