King directs government to study gradual resumption of operations across productive sectors

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday directed the government to examine the potential of gradually resuming operations across productive sectors and exporting locally manufactured products that are increasingly in demand internationally, to support the economy.

Chairing a National Policies Council (NPC) meeting, King Abdullah urged creative solutions that strike a balance between safeguarding public health and implementing economic plans, reiterating that the priority is citizens’ health and wellbeing, according to a Royal Court statement.

At the meeting, attended by HRH Prince Feisal, adviser to His Majesty and NPC chairperson, His Majesty called for studying the potential of resuming work at small- and medium-sized enterprises, while complying with public health and safety regulations.

The King said that no country in the world has the answer to countering the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and its repercussions on various sectors, which calls for flexibility to adapt to rapid changes.

His Majesty also directed the government to maintain full readiness and to prepare for the period after the COVID-19 crisis, stressing the importance of bolstering public-private partnerships and looking into effective ways to empower the private sector.

The King called for providing COVID-19 testing kits and increasing testing around Jordan, in line with the recommendations of the specialised committee at the Ministry of Health.

Moreover, His Majesty was briefed on the progress of remote learning and the measures being taken to sustain the educational process.

The King stressed the importance of continuously improving and enhancing the remote learning experience, based on the feedback received from teachers, parents and students, the statement said.

For his part, Prime Minister Omar Razzaz said the government and agencies operating in the field are committed to prioritising the health and wellbeing of citizens, in line with His Majesty’s directives, and then working on enhancing economic resilience.

Razzaz cited his meeting on Saturday with representatives of the chambers of industry and commerce, the bank association and the hospitality and ICT sectors to discuss the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy.

The prime minister said that the government will study how Jordan’s potential in exports can be fully realised, when it ensures containing COVID-19 and preventing its spread.

He noted the negative impact of COVID-19 on economies around the world, adding that several measures have been and will be taken in cooperation with the Central Bank of Jordan to deal with the implications of the global economic downturn.

Razzaz said that taxes and loans have been deferred and private sector liquidity has been enhanced to enable it to overcome this crisis with the least damages and to maintain operations at the minimum level to safeguard the job security of employees, the statement read.

Also during the meeting, the King was briefed on the progress of the measures taken across all sectors to deal with COVID-19.