When the coronavirus (COVID-19) invaded the borders of countries across the globe, infecting and claiming the lives of many people and draining the global economy, leaders of these countries rushed to their operation rooms and conference halls to study, analyze, supervise and plan all what they can do to preserve their most valuable asset.

However, countries vary in their assessment of the most valuable asset that they have in terms of their political agendas or economies or their party interests or presidential elections and so on.

In this turbulent scenario that emerged after the outbreak of the pandemic, Saudi Arabia comes in the forefront of countries that have clearly demonstrated that their most valuable asset is humans.

It harnessed all its resources, including manpower, money, efforts, time or other things in order to ensure the safety of this most precious wealth — humans, including citizens and expatriates — from this epidemic.

The Kingdom, under the directives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, and the direct supervision of Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, is exerting all efforts round the clock, by spending billions of riyals for the prevention and treatment of the epidemic as well as to revive the economy and preserve jobs and businesses.

It has mobilized huge contingents of doctors, health practitioners and administrative staff working throughout day and night for ensuring the safety of humans regardless of their race, color, lineage, nationality, ethnicity, religion, gender, age, social status, and the like.

This is in addition to the initiatives and assistance packages undertaken by the Kingdom at the regional and international levels to save and rescue people all over the world from this pandemic.

Once the crisis bell rung, the Kingdom was quick to take the necessary measures to stem the spread of the epidemic by providing high-quality health care and treatment free of charge.

It also temporarily suspended the travel of citizens and expatriates as well as the Umrah pilgrimage, in addition to the suspension of study and attendance at educational institutions and workplaces in both public and private sectors, halting of parties and gatherings, closure of markets and commercial complexes, application of the home quarantine procedures, and taking the necessary preventive measures in prisons, detention centers, and shelters.

At the same time, exemptions were given for essential and vital sectors and services including food outlets and health facilities. It also allowed the passage of humanitarian cases, and accommodating citizens stranded abroad in hotels at the expense of the State.

Moreover, the Kingdom has taken many measures aimed at ensuring the protection of human rights that otherwise could have been obstructed due to the precautionary and preventive measures taken to stem the spread of coronavirus.

The government has launched several initiatives aimed at promoting these rights, including the right to education by boosting distance education and virtual classes and exemption of fee for several services for a limited period of time.

On the economic front, urgent initiatives were adopted to support the private sector, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and economic activities largely impacted by this pandemic, with a support package of SR70 billion, and another package worth SR 50 billion to support and finance SMEs and SR17.3 billion to support the private sector firms.

The promotion and protection of human rights is a value rooted in the Kingdom’s approach, policy, as well as in the conscience of its leaders and the culture of its society.

The top priority of human rights can also be seen in the royal order to offer free treatment for infected persons, including residency law violators, as well as in the exemption of expat fee for extension of residency permit, and bearing the cost of 60 percent of salaries of Saudis employed in the private sector.

On the regional and international levels, the Kingdom, which holds the current presidency of G20, has taken the lead in uniting global efforts to combat this global epidemic and limit its spread through hosting virtual summit of G20, by mobilizing rich countries and relevant international organizations such as United Nations and WHO.

This also includes the Kingdom’s financial support worth $10 million to WHO, $3.5 million worth assistance to Yemen and help to China to secure medical devices and supplies.