![Amna Puri-Mirza](https://cdn.statcdn.com/static/../CMS/contactperson/ERI1070_1623059796.png)
Average change in fiscal deficit forecasts due to COVID-19 MENA 2020 by region
The average change in the fiscal deficit in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to October 2019 was expected to reach about 6.5 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), compared to 4.9 percent of GDP for non-GCC countries. The forecasts were reviewed in April 2020 to account for the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.