ILO director: Egypt’s early anti-COVID measures enabled limiting virus spread

CAIRO – 4 November 2020: Director of the International Labor Organization (ILO) office in Cairo Eric Ochelan said that Egypt has played a positive role in combating the Coronavirus pandemic starting from taking early measures in anticipation of the first wave in March.

Ochelan explained, in statements to DMC TV channel, Tuesday, that Egypt made early decisions to close restaurants and shops, along other decisions that enabled it to reduce or limit the impact of the pandemic on the economy, and maintain the economic progress on its right track until now.

“We are happy to have worked with our partners at the Ministry of Manpower to discuss mechanisms of support to enhance safety measures with regard to social distancing,” he said, ensuring that they still apply all precautionary measures until the meantime to avoid the spread of the virus during its second wave.

He further noted that the ILO can provide support for small and medium projects, as they also work to support some projects that were halted to alleviate the virus’s impact on the economy in general.

In the same context, Ochelan said that several sectors in Egypt, have been affected including: tourism, which has been hugely impacted by the decline in number of tourists and workers at restaurants, as well as export companies that have been affected due to the shrinkage of the market, in addition to the trade sector.

Ochelan stressed that women were also affected during the first wave of the Coronavirus, because they are among the groups that lose their jobs quickly because they have responsibility for home and family care.