ILO: COVID-19 causes devastating losses in working hours and employment
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The COVID-19 pandemic is having a catastrophic effect on working hours and earnings, globally. A new ILO report highlights some of the worst affected sectors and regions, and outlines policies to mitigate the crisis.
GENEVA – The COVID-19 crisis is expected to wipe out 6.7 per cent of working hours globally in the second quarter of 2020 – equivalent to 195 million full-time workers.
Large reductions are foreseen in the Arab States (8.1 per cent, equivalent to 5 million full-time workers), Europe (7.8 per cent, or 12 million full-time workers) and Asia and the Pacific (7.2 per cent, 125 million full-time workers).
Huge losses are expected across different income groups but especially in upper-middle income countries (7.0 per cent, 100 million full-time workers). This far exceeds the effects of the 2008-9 financial crisis.
The sectors most at risk include accommodation and food services, manufacturing, retail, and business and administrative activities.
The General Commission of Taxes and Fees will offer facilities to importers with the aim of ensuring staple diet products in local market. 
The negative impacts of coronavirus pandemic outbreak in the world has affected the world tourism sector threatening the loss of 75 million jobs globally and a $2.1 trillion loss in the Gross Global Product this year.
HAVANA, (ST)- Enhancing trade relations between Syria and Cuba was the main theme of the meeting held on Thursday in Havana between Syria’s Ambassador to Cuba Idris Mayya and President of the Cuban Chamber of Commerce Antonio Carricarte.
DAMASCUS, (ST) - The Director of Plant Production in the Ministry of Agriculture, Eng. Abdul Moeen Qadamani, said that the total planned area of food legume crops “lentils, chickpeas, beans and peas” for the 2019-2020 season amounted to more than 290 thousand hectares, while the cultivated area reached about 167 thousand hectares, more than 111 One thousand hectares of lentils, and more than 33 thousand hectares of chickpeas. There are 16 thousand hectares of beans, in addition to about 6 thousand hectares of peas.
