King chairs meeting on government’s plans, measures to mitigate COVID-19 economic impact

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday directed the government to plan beyond the current period and set a clear timetable to protect and sustain the economy, while also devising an economic plan to overcome the current exceptional circumstances and taking every measure to prioritise the health and wellbeing of citizens.

Chairing, via teleconference, a meeting attended by HRH Crown Prince Hussein to discuss the government’s plans and measures to mitigate the economic repercussions of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), King Abdullah urged coordination and consultation with the private sector on economic plans and measures both sectors must implement to maintain job security and sustain the private sector, according to a Royal Court statement.

During the meeting — also attended by HRH Prince Feisal, adviser to His Majesty and chairperson of the National Policies Council — His Majesty reaffirmed that the main goal should be protecting and supporting citizens, as well as meaningful and clear planning to ensure the public and private sectors can overcome the current exceptional circumstances.

The King urged the government to take the necessary measures to alleviate the burden on citizens and private sector entities and to announce these measures as soon as possible, which should have tangible results.

His Majesty underscored the need for the newly formed Committee to Protect the National Economy to take a series of measures, within an economic resilience plan, to support businesses, expand the social safety net and identify opportunities.

The King said that the committee must work out ways to add flexibility to the Labour Law and identify the key sectors that contribute to the economy and ways to enable them to gradually resume operation.

His Majesty also called for identifying businesses that can adapt to the current situation and helping them adopt technological solutions to ensure sustainability, according to the statement.

The King stressed the need for a quick response to the developments caused by COVID-19, while also identifying how the banking sector can contribute to supporting businesses and driving recovery in the medium term.

During the meeting, His Majesty was also briefed on measures taken to mitigate the economic impact of COVID-19, the statement said.