The General Assembly of the Economic and Social Councils decided to elect the President of the Algerian National Economic, Social and Environmental Council, Dr. Sidi Mohamed Bouchnak Kheladi, as President of the Union of Arab Economic and Social Councils, and the President of the Jordanian Economic and Social Council, Dr. Musa Shteiwi, as Vice President of the Union for the current session for a period of three years 2022-2025.

This came during Dr. Moussa Shtewi's participation in the extraordinary general assembly of the Arab Economic and Social Councils and similar institutions, which was held in Algeria over two days.

In his intervention, Shtewi reviewed the effects of the Corona crisis on the economy and the government measures that have been taken, and the role of the Economic and Social Council in providing many studies and consultations to the government regarding dealing with the local social and economic dimensions of the pandemic.

Shtewi said that the negative effects of the pandemic on the Jordanian economy were accompanied by the slowdown in economic growth rates and the widening of the fiscal deficit gap in the general budget and in the current account of the balance of payments. Shtewi noted that the lockdown of economic sectors, establishments, and companies deepened the problem due to the layoff of a number of workers and the disruption of large numbers, thus these effects participated in raising the unemployment rates.

Shtewi clarified that the health measures consisted of providing health protection for patients, providing treatment for the infected, protecting workers and the most affected groups, providing individual support for them, in addition, to support companies and economic institutions that are most affected by the pandemic due to the closures and the accompanying economic crisis through a set of defense orders taken in this regard.

Shtewi stressed that all studies, working papers and policies issued by the council relied on the principle of social dialogue by holding discussion sessions. Adding that these sessions aimed to create consensus on the issues being discussed and listening to the received observations and including them in the reports to come up with applicable scientific recommendations, then send them to the government.

He added that the pandemic contributed to rearranging the national priorities and taking precautionary measures to avoid the consequences of economic and social aspects, and created challenges and opportunities for many Arab countries.

And he indicated that the Corona pandemic was an alarm for all sectors in order to prepare emergency plans based on clear goals and sound procedures, and it also created opportunities and challenges for the promising sectors, so that the challenge and confronting any emergency became a necessity of achievement and not tripping the workflow.