VOL. XLII

No. 35

30-August-1999

OPEC

Increase In OPEC Revenues Should Ease Budgetary Pressures

Despite efforts to diversify, many economies in the MiddleEast and North Africa region still remain heavily reliant on oil for theirgovernment and export revenues, and foreign currency needs. The recent upturnin oil prices, following a substantial fall over the course of 1998 and early1999, has meant that many countries in the region should be able to meet theirtargeted budget deficits for 1999. In many...