BUSINESSMED and some of its members were glad to participate in the MENA-OECD Business Advisory Board’s (BAB) webinar on COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis Response, held on 14 May 2020.

The COVID-19 pandemic is not only a health crisis, but also threatens jobs and livelihoods around the world. The business community, especially SMEs and the self-employed, are on the front line and enterprises are massively affected by the crisis, especially in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

What are the innovative solutions that companies can implement? What is the companies’ social responsibility in times of crisis? What measures have governments in the region implemented to support the business community throughout the crisis? To answer these questions and many others, the MENA-OECD Business Advisory Council met during this webinar, allowing its members to share their views, concerns and solutions. 

During a session moderated by Mr El Sayed TORKY, Senior Advisor to the Federation of Egyptian Industries (FEI), member of BUSINESSMED, the role of business in promoting social cohesion was highlighted. For example, many companies in the region continue to pay salaries and social security contributions during the crisis to ensure the social cohesion. Companies have also developed innovative solutions to cope with the negative impact of the pandemic on their activities.

This webinar was a constructive discussion space that allowed the different participants to share their experiences and best practices.