Since COVID-19 knows no borders and given the mobility of people that will be very difficult in some places to halt, there must be an integrated urban and rural approach to the COVID-19 response. This integrated approach is what the guiding principles and framework for action of the URL-GP were designed for, to assist governments and their private sector and civil society partners with assessment, planning and policy development tools. In the context of the COVID-19 crises, URL-GP therefore can be a useful tool for governments and other stakeholders.

The issue brief outlines relevant principles and Covid-19 relevant actions. While most principles are appropriate for the rehabilitation phase to come, four of the ten guiding principles seem especially relevant for the early emergency response phase, including: Locally grounded interventions (GP1), Integrated governance (GP2), Do no harm and provide social protection (GP7), Data driven and evidence based (GP10).