Amman, Oct 8 (UNI) King Abdullah II of Jordan has appointed Bisher Khasawneh as the new Prime Minister and designated him to form a new cabinet, according to a Royal Court statement.

The new appointment came after King Abdullah on Saturday accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Omar Razzaz. Khasawneh worked previously as an advisor for policies and media for the king.

In a letter to the new prime minister on Wednesday, the king said the process of cabinet formation comes amid the COVID-19 spread, which has affected the whole world, with various countries still working to the best of their abilities to deal with the pandemic and alleviate their health, social, and economic implications.

The king said citizens' health and well being is the top priority, which demands that the government continue to take all carefully studied measures to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, in a manner that balances healthcare considerations with operating economic sectors and safeguarding citizens' livelihoods.

The king said despite the ramifications of the COVID-19 crisis, it has revealed points of strength and promising potential in several sectors, especially food processing, pharmaceutical, and medical supplies industries.

"This potential must be capitalized on through an institutionalized, implementable approach that identifies opportunities, in order to create job opportunities and enable Jordan to play a key role as a regional hub," he said.
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