OAPEC Sec Gen says OPEC+ decision to cut oil production ‘correct’

CAIRO (Reuters) – The secretary general of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) said on Saturday that the OPEC+ decision to cut its oil production target is correct, and was taken at the right time.

The decision took into account the uncertainty surrounding the performance of the global economy, and was in line with the successful approach taken by OPEC+ in taking proactive steps to avoid any oil market imbalances, especially on the demand and supply sides, OAPEC secretary general Ali bin Sabt added in a statement.

OAPEC comprises Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates.

The 13-member Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, which include Russia, lowered their production target by 2 million barrels per day when they met on Oct. 5.

The move came even though fuel markets remain tight, with inventories in major economies at lower levels than when OPEC has cut output in the past.

(Reporting by Moataz Mohamed; Editing by William Maclean)