Table 63 below shot^rs ehat the export performance of the low-income Afrlcancountrles since 1973 was poor, both by hlstorlcal standards and relative to theexport performance of other developing countries. The performance was especiallypoor for exports of manufactured goods.A/40 /5L9 English Page 178 Table 63. Export performance of developing countries, I965-1985 (Average annual percentage change ) Country groupMerchandise :e-Ig!E_ AlL developi nq I€r,r-income Low-i.ncome I,ow-income Country groupcountries Asia Afr ica5.3 3.3 2.9 4.03.1 5.4 -I. J5.5 5.0 3.5 Exports of manufactures I96s-1973 I973-1980 1980-1985 a/ All developing Iow-income Ipw-income Low-income Country Groupcountr ies Asia Afr icaL4.9 6.4 6.6 4.5IU. O 6.9 7.48.1 8.2 8.5 0.9 Exports of primary goods L96s-L973 1973-1980 1980-1985 a/ All developing Lor.r-income Lovr-i hcone I.o$r-incomecountr les Asia Afr ica1.8 4.00.9 4.5 7.9 -1. 44.0 2.6 2.1 3.8 SoJrce: World Bank, viorld Development Report 1994, pp. 36-37. ! The 1983-1985 figures in the 1980-1985 averages are esEimates. 349. whil-e the merchandise exports of the low-income African countries qrew at amore rapid rate than the mechandise exports of arr row-income developing countriesover the period 1965-19?3, they declined durlng 1973-19g0, and their grovrth vras much smaller than for other developing countries in 1980-1985. stlll worse was therelative performance of the low-income African countries in the export ofmanufacturing goods, nhich has hardly grown since 1923, as compared with thesignificant grorrth for other developing countries. only in the export of prlmary commodities did the low-income African countries fare better than other lon-incomedeveroping countries, but only in the earlier and flbre recent periods. Eordever,the exports of primary commodities suffer from high commodity and geographicconcentration, 1ow incorue-elastlc i ti es and fluctuatinq and declining relativeprices, and do not seem reliable as the main engine of growEh for the low-incomeAfrican countr ies.
**Analysis**
The text discusses the export performance of low-income African countries, comparing it to other developing countries. It highlights the poor performance of these countries in exporting manufactured goods, while their primary commodity exports have shown some growth. The text also mentions the limitations of relying on primary commodity exports due to fluctuations in prices and geographic concentration. This suggests that the text is primarily focused on the economic development and international trade of low-income African countries.

**Category**
International trade, Economic development