8th Board of Directors’ meeting 2019-20 of Pakistan-Romania Business Council was held on May 05, 2020 at the Conference Room under the Chairmanship of Mr. Sohail Shamim Firpo to discuss the current scenario and how to ease the Covid-19 pandemic’s economic impact on Pakistan and Romania with reference to bilateral trade. It was thoroughly discussed and all directors shared their views that how Covid-19 is affecting businesses and everyday life. They all agreed that first we need to protect local business and then go for growth of bilateral trade. It was discussed in the meeting that there is a rapid growth in confirmed cases of COVID-19 across the globe including Pakistan over the last few weeks. They emphasized on online business and work from home policies. PRBC is strictly adhering to the preventative measures recommended by the World Health Organization, including protective gear, controls on hygiene, health monitoring, Social Distancing and Lockdown in the country. As a result, PRBC is only available for Virtual Meetings, Emails, WhatsApp, curtailing human interaction which is needed during this transition.
Mr. AtifFarooqi, Advisor-PRBC said that the present situation has identified a greater need to look beyond the financial bottom line. Additionally, as businesses try to move towards normalcy, the concept of social distancing will become an important element in workspaces– especially factory floors. He shared that COVID-19 is threatening people’s health worldwide, but the damage done in the economic sector is also a silent killer. Our first priority is to help keep communities safe by limiting transmission of the virus between people. Businesses around the country are also taking proactive steps to adapt.
2020 will be the year to sustain our losses and refocus ourselves for adapting to the post Covid 19 business challenges. Our underlying financial system is robust and there is determination to reboot the economy as the country recovers.
