This briefing reveals how 121 million more people could be pushed to the brink of starvation this year as a result of the social and economic fallout from the pandemic including through mass unemployment, disruption to food production and supplies, and declining aid.

Through this interactive resource, Lowy Institute experts provide policy recommendations for Australia to address issues that are critical to our nation’s — and the world’s — successful emergence from the pandemic.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic across Australia’s immediate region is still unfolding. This guide represents a snapshot of the situation as at early June 2020.

The Australian government’s Partnerships for Recovery policy presents Australia’s priorities in working globally, and especially with our near neighbours, to minimise the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Coalition's proposed $4.5 billion cuts to foreign aid will result in the loss of 450,000 lives, World Vision Australia chief executive officer Tim Costello claims.

In a blistering response to the 2018 federal budget, charity group World Vision slammed the Federal Government for "continuing Australia's darkest era of aid cuts and further letting down the world's most vulnerable".

World Vision Australia chief executive Tim Costello claims foreign aid cuts make up 20 per cent of the budget savings, while aid expenditure is only 1.3 per cent of the total budget.

Labor senator Sam Dastyari claims Australia spent three times more on pets in 2016 than it did on foreign aid.

Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek announced Labor would restore $40 million to Australia's aid budget if re-elected and denies Labor also cut the aid budget when in government.

Southeast Asian governments – which are badly affected by the pandemic – have been the leading recipients of Chinese aid. It comes at a time when ASEAN is attempting to reappraise its position with respect to the US and China, given accelerating competition between the...