Article 8 of the Saudi Emergency Law

This article ensures the continued functioning of the state during a state of emergency: it provides that public entities continue to carry out their duties while it is in force.

Under Article 1, public entities are ministries, authorities, departments, public institutions and the like, including entities belonging to the regulatory and judicial authorities. The rule therefore covers a wide range of entities.

The article confirms that these duties include what relates to the stages of dealing with the emergency event:

• Reducing risks.
• Responding to the emergency event.
• Recovering from it.

This is done in accordance with the approved plans, meaning the entities work under plans that have been drawn up and approved; the article does not state the content of these plans or the body that approves them.

The practical meaning is that declaring a state of emergency does not mean public entities stop working or suspend their services; they continue their usual work alongside their role in confronting the event. This is consistent with the aim of enabling business continuity in Article 3.

This article follows Article 7, which sets the elements of the royal order declaring a state of emergency, and precedes Article 9, which provides that the mere declaration does not give anyone a right except what is stated in the law or in the declaration. Anyone dealing with a public entity during a state of emergency who faces a problem can consult a lawyer who specializes in administrative cases.