Australia and New Zealand have two of the best performing healthcare systems in the world. Universal healthcare is an established norm, and the vast majority of citizens have access to timely and effective emergency care (EC).1, 2 This is not the reality for most of the world's population. EC systems are poorly developed in a majority of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and there is a significant unmet need for acute care. These challenges are compounded by structural barriers to healthcare access and a limited health workforce.3-6 In May 2019, the World Health Assembly (WHA) acknowledged the value of global EC by adopting Resolution 72.16 (‘Emergency care systems for universal health coverage: ensuring timely care for the acutely ill and injured’). Proposed by Ethiopia and Eswatini, and co-sponsored by more than 30 countries, the resolution frames EC as an essential tool to achieve universal health coverage. It recognises timeliness as a critical component of quality and endorses organised EC systems as an effective means of ameliorating health inequalities.7 For the EC community of Australia and New Zealand, the resolution presents both exciting opportunities and important challenges. How can we best work with colleagues and partners across the Indo-Pacific region to build capacity for safe, effective and universal EC