Biden signs first executive orders as president

US President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed first executive actions, hours after he was sworn-in as 46th commander-in-chief.

The executive actions are among 17 items that Biden is signing on Wednesday, CNN reported

"This is going to be the first of many engagements we are going to have in here," Biden told reporters, appearing for the first time in the Oval Office. "I thought with the state of the nation today there's no time to waste. Get to work immediately," he said

Biden signed an order requiring masks on federal property, one meant to ensure racial equality and another rejoining the Paris climate accord. He said they would be the first of many during his first days in office.

"As we indicated earlier we are going to be signing a number of executive orders over the next several days to a week," he said.

"Some of the executive actions that I am going to be signing today are going to help change the course of the Covid crisis and combat climate change in ways we haven't done so far," the newly-minted President added.

He called the moves "starting points" that fulfilled his promises during the election campaign.

On Wednesday, Biden is also expected to sign an order reversing Trump's effort to withdraw from the World Health Orgsation (WHO) in the midst of the pandemic. He is also reversing Trump's travel ban on majority-Muslim nations, The Hill reported.

In total, Biden is expected to sign 53 executive actions over the next 10 days across the areas of climate, the economy, healthcare and immigration, according to a document outlining a schedule for his forthcoming moves that was obtained by The Hill.

( With inputs from ANI )