Robust oil prices have helped boost Yemen's foreign reserves to a recordhigh of $2.5bn. The extra revenues are also speeding up economic reformsand the repayment of the country's debts, central bank governor AhmadAbdul-Rahman al-Samawi said. He added that the windfall will be used tofund Yemen's campaign to combat poverty and illiteracy in the country of17.5 million. Oil revenues are expected to reach $1.4bn by the end of theyear compared with $495m in 1999.