0.4 0.6 0.3 0.3 0.1 0.3 86.5 84.4 a/ Share of exports of the commodity in the total exports of developing Africa. b/ Figures for Gabon and the Niger only. 115 E/ECA/CM.9/5 17. The table demonstrates clearly that African countries export mainly fuels, ores, metals, agricultural raw materials and some beverages. It is difficult to find markets for these commodities during recession years, and the prices are generally low. The predominant role of crude oil makes Africa's external trade high­ ly dependent on the evolution of international trade, and unless the present commodity structure of trade is changed Africa will remain the most vulnerable continent to world economic recession. 18. The structure of imports has remained relatively stable in the early 1980s. The share of manufactured goods was 61.7 per cent in 1981 (7.2 points lower than in 1970), while the share of all food items was 14.8 per cent (approximately the same as in 1970). The largest change was in fuels. Their share in 1981 was about 14.7 per cent, about 10 percentage points up on 1970. l/ 19. Changes in the prices of some export commodities are shown in table Vl.A.7. \·Jhile 1981 \'w'as bad, 1982 was disastrous. Table VI .A. 7 Wholesale prices of selected export commodities (Percentage change over preceding year) Crude oil, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (Es Coffee, Uganda (London) Copper, United Kingdom (London) Cacao, Ghana (London) Phosphates, Morocco (Casablanca) Cotton, Egypt (Liverpool) Sugar, EEC import price Wood logs, Philippines (Tokyo) Tobacco, United States (All markets) Uranium, Gabon export price Tea, average auction price (London) Ground-nuts, Nigeria (London) Iron ore, Brazil (North Sea ports) Average !;!I 1980 Sidra) 70.3 -11 .o 10.3 -19.9 36.3 0.4 23.0 17.2 5.9 0.2 3.6 -13.8 13.9 53.3 1981 11.1 -30.1 -20.6 -20.1 10.2 -0.9 -5.5 -20.0 12.6 -13.3 -10.2 28.3 
**Analysis**
The text discusses the structure of trade in developing Africa, specifically the composition of exports and imports, and the impact of commodity prices on the continent's economy. It highlights the dominance of fuels, ores, and agricultural raw materials in Africa's exports, and the vulnerability of the continent to changes in international trade. The text also provides data on the prices of specific export commodities.

**Category**
International trade, Natural resources and environment