Addressing the Covid-19 pandemic: Policy recommendations to the UK government

The Covid-19 pandemic is a global crisis that demands a global response, and the UK can and must play a leadership role.

In today’s globally connected world, no country will be free of the virus until global eradication is achieved. For the world, and the UK to build back better, there must also be effective and timely tackling of parallel, inter-linked crises exacerbated by Covid-19 – humanitarian, socio-economic, and the climate emergency.

It is firmly in the UK’s national interest to recognize that its own economic development and wellbeing is dependent on other countries through shared security, trade and globalised supply chains, and sustainable and equitable development.

The main aims of this paper are:

• To present the international development and humanitarian sector’s main policy asks in relation to addressing Covid-19 in both the short and longer-term, acknowledging the pace of change and that these will evolve
• To help outline the key areas which need urgent attention from and action by the UK Government and other global players and provide a baseline for checking progress on the pandemic in the short and longer term.