Monitoring the Transport Policy Response to COVID-19 along the Regional Transport Network in Asia and the Pacific

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.

To help member countries further coordinate their policy responses to COVID-19 Pandemic and in addition to its support to the global Observatory on Border Crossing Status due to COVID-19, the secretariat is monitoring the policy responses along the regional transport infrastructure network in Asia and the Pacific, as formalized by intergovernmental agreements on the Asian Highway Network, the Trans-Asian Railway Network and Dry Ports of International Importance. Key considerations and preliminary analysis of the policy responses can be found in ESCAP Policy Brief on “Policy Responses to Covid-19: Transport Connectivity in Asia and the Pacific” and on “Strengthening Freight Transport Corridors of South Asia in the aftermath of COVID-19”.

The latest information on the countries’ response on the road transport along the Asian Highway Network is available from the ESCAP Virtual Expert Group Meeting on Safe and Seamless Transport Connectivity along the Asian Highway Network during and after the COVID-19 Pandemic (25 June 2020).

Policy Responses to COVID-19 in the Countries Members to the Asian Highway and the Trans-Asian Railway Networks

Detailed country information is available by clicking on the country name in the first column. The table includes countries which are contacting parties and signatories to the agreements on the Asian Highways (AH), the Trans-Asian Railway (TAR) and Dry Ports (DP). Their contracting party status to the agreements, as of 20 April 2020, is indicated in the relevant columns.

Notes for the table:

N/A means no information available.

DISCLAIMER: the overview of the transport-related measures has been prepared by the secretariat based on the information collected from official governmental sources and specialized press. The sources are documented in the country files. Even if is continuously updated, due to the fluidity of the situation, it may not reflect the latest status of the measures. If you would like to share your first-hand information on the current situation, your submissions are welcome ([email protected]). While they might not be directly reflected in the country profiles, they will form the basis for our policy analysis and advice to the Governments concerned.