Reduced Palestinian budget shortage expected this year

The final report by the Palestinian Ministry of International Cooperation regarding the donation of aid to the Palestinian government between 1994 - 1997 said the aid received has reached $1.9 billion of the original $3 billion pledged.

That was confirmed by Magdy El-Khaled, the general manager of the ministry, and who also added that the 1998 deficit in Palestine will be less than it was in 1997, when it reached $52 million.

A conference is scheduled for the end of November to discuss commitments to providing aid during the next five years.

Palestine has won primary approval from donor countries to hold this meeting. The approval came after a Paris meeting at which the Palestinian government asked the donor countries to quickly fulfill agreed-upon financial commitments, which are about $750 million.