The Saudi Ministry of Commerce told Asharq Al-Awsat that it was coordinating with government agencies to monitor challenges facing the private sector and provide the necessary support to help it overcome the repercussions of the coronavirus outbreak.
The ministry noted that it has provided services to more than 82,000 customers through the contact center in March, in addition to implementing more than 68,000 electronic services for the benefit of business sector.
In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, the ministry noted that it worked in coordination with the Communications and Information Technology Commission - the authority overseeing delivery applications - to add the food markets during the curfew to delivery applications in order to ensure the provision of all the basic necessities to families staying home.
The Ministry of Commerce is also seeking to achieve sustainable development, by relying on plans based on available resources and taking into account the economic, social and humanitarian dimensions.
Over the past month, the ministry has worked to consolidate measures aimed at mitigating the negative impacts and reduce the repercussions of the coronavirus outbreak.
The World Trade Organization expected a contraction in the growth of merchandise exports by 0.3 percent in the first quarter of 2020, the slowest rate since the global financial crisis at the end of 2008.
