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.

This report argues that taking stock of regional achievements in disaster risk reduction policy and practice is important, alongside identifying the areas where the region needs to focus most in the coming years.

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.

As the largest new player in the region, this paper briefly examines China’s ‘COVID-19 diplomacy’ and argues that the pandemic may have geopolitical consequences.

This paper argues that emerging aerospace technologies, human security constructs and different organisational concepts could combine to enhance Australia’s Pacific Step Up strategy in the future.