countries, and their export performance has also been better. 10 E/ECA/C~l. 9/5 But the increasinq protectionism of industrialized countries is cloudinq their qrowth prospects, and reduced external demand has had a siqnificant impact en their export qrowth and over-all qrcwth. 7. In the African reqicn the repercussions of the world reces­ sion have been in proportion to the deqree of linkaqe of each country to the world economy. While the export ratio for the reqion as a whole is 24 per cent, the fiqure for the major oil exporters is around 32 per cent, as aqainst only 8 per cent for the least developed countries. The African major oil exporters - Alqeria, Gabon, the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya and Niqeria -have suffered a net fall in output, amountinq tc around 9 per cent in real terms in 1981 at 1980 prices. To counter the effect of declininq export revenues, import controls or cuts in development expenditure have had to be introduced. Other oil exporters, which are not members of OPEC, have benefited from their mere diversified export structure and from price flexibility, and in some cases have even improved their economic performance. But for other African countries which depend on mineral and aqricul­ tural exports, the im·pact of the world recession has been very severe, especially on the qrowth leaders like the Ivory Coast and Kenya, which have 1 ost their qrowth momentum and are facinq serious payments problems. The least developed countries have been affected in their capacity to import because of la.ver export revenues, but since their econanies have only weak links with world trade and are chiefly dependent on the primary sector, their output qrowth has not been qreatly affected, but has remained more or less at its normal level. 8. The socialist economies of eastern Europe qrew by an averaqe 
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing the impact of the world recession on different countries and regions, particularly in Africa, and how their economic performance has been affected. It touches on topics such as export performance, import controls, and economic growth, which suggests that the category should be related to economics.

**Category**
Economic development, International trade