attention would be paid to the problems of African and least developed countries in expanding agro-industrial production and trade. High priority would be given to tourism as an important source of foreign exchange earnings in Africa. 261. WCTAD's technical assistance programmes for African countries included advice on food imports procurement; training in shipping and port management; a UNDP-funded programme on debt management* and facilitation of transit trade for land-locked countries, an^example"of - 64 - which was the Northern Corridor Transit Agreement signed recently in Bujumbura. Other activities consisted of regional seminars for African LDCs, assistance to expand trade with the Socialist countries of Eastern Europe, and technical assistance with the promotion and development of subregional economic co-operation and integration groups. UNCTAD would continue to provide and expand assistance in these and other areas within its competence on request. 262. The observer for the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) stated that GATT did not consider protectionism a philosophical phenomenon to be fought with speeches and resolutions but rather as a major obstacle to the liberalization and expansion of trade and a hindrance to the economic development of all trading nations. He reminded the Conference of the arrangements made after the ministerial meeting of the GATT con­ tracting parties in 1982, for a series of multilateral consultations focusing on such restrictive measures as tariff and non-tariff barriers (specifically quantitative restrictions) that affected trade in the tropical products of which African countries were the main exporters. These had permitted a constructive dialogue between developing countries and their industrialized partners, who had been specifically requested to lower, and if possible to remove, tariff or non-tariff barriers affecting the commercial interests of the requesting countries. He appealed to the Conference of Ministers to ensure that the consultations were followed by 
**Analysis**
The text discusses the problems faced by African and least developed countries in expanding agro-industrial production and trade, and the efforts being made to address these issues. It also mentions the importance of tourism, technical assistance programs, and international trade agreements. This suggests that the text is focused on economic development and trade, with a specific emphasis on Africa and least developed countries.

**Category**
Economic development, International trade