The COVID-19 crisis has caused untold disruption to lives and economies. As the current patterns of globalization are being questioned, the regional level will become vital in dealing with crossborder problems. It is at this level that reconnecting economies, reversing the disruption of trade and transport links, and addressing transboundary risks offer more immediate benefits. The critical task of strengthening trust in concerted action may yield clearer results in the context of regional collaboration frameworks, which should be reinforced as a fundamental building block of multilateralism. Effective regional actions require reaching out to multiple partners. The potential of regional collaboration should be fully leveraged to build back better and meet the promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Regional economic commissions can be catalysts for such actions, as they engage various actors across common goals.
