inthepast,toadapttonewandchanging trading patterns andconditions. These andotheraspects arethesubject ofintense studybymanynational and intornational bodies. ~ufficaittoreiterate herethattheeconomy ofSouth Africa, already labouring underexternal debtobligations, isparticularly vulnerable withrespect tocartsin internationally tradedcommodities and services. Figuring highonthislistarepetroleum andpetroleum products, coal, gold, ~ndtransport facilities. 115.Sanctions ~nexports ofpetroleum andpetroleum products toSouthAfricawould appeartobeaparticularly effective formofsanctions. Petroleum isvirtually thesoleprimary rawmaterial inwhichSouthAfricaisnotself-sufficiont. It.is essential fortheeffective functionidg oftheeconomy, andisvitaltothe r9~ime's abilities toexerclsp. itspolicies ofsuppression withinthecountry and ofaggre8sion anddestabilizatlon beyonditsborders. Conversion ofSouthhfrlca's coalandnatural gasresources isbothlimited andcostly. Atpreaant, however, as emphasized inthereportofthePanelontheHearings ontheOilEmbargo heldat UnitedNations Headquarters on12and13April1989(A/44/279-S/20634), inadequacies persist intheeffective implementation oftheoilembarqo. Inthe report,attention isdrawntothelackofco-operation bycertain countries with respect totheactivities of.transnational corpor.ations. Itisalsostatedthat _.10_theabsence ofmeasures bymRnyoll-exporting, shipping andhandling countries has contributed tothecircumvention oftheoilembar,,,. ThePaneltherefore recommended theadoption bytheSecurity Council andmemberStatesofspecific measures fortightening theoilembargo against SouthA£rica. 116.Ofthenon-strategic minerals that So~t.h Af~icaexpolts, coalistheuingle mostimportant fOl~eign-currency earner, accounting foraround 7percentofthe country's exportlevenues in1987.SouthAfrican coaliswidely embargoed, except byJapanandsomeWestern countries. TheNordiccountries, theUnitedStates and theCommonwealth impose ato!,,',,,bargo, whilesomeoftheEECmembercountries ban thflimportofSouthAfrican l,ytheJrparastatals. Published statistics indicate, however, thatthecoalembargo isbeingviolated byin~orters inmany countries. Onereasonisthe$5pertondiscount offered bySouthAfrJcaagainst worldcoalprices. An\lmgthepreviously mentioned ni~eWestern States, imports by somefellin1987byafractionofthevolumethatcouldhavebeenexpected under fullobservance ofsanctions. Between 1982and1988,Spain\ncreased itscoal imports fromSouthAfrica morethantenfoldfrom371,000 tonsto4.45million tons.Coalimports intoanumberofEECStates, including theNetherlands, Portugal andSpain, increaAed in1987. SomeStatesareimporting bywayofthird Statesl othersareimporting SouthAfrican coalthathasbeenmixedwithcoalmined inotherStatestodisguise theStateoforigin.UIClearly, coalimports from SouthAfricawarrant greater monitoring andpossibly additional orstronger legislation onthepartofthoseStateswhichhavesubscribed tosanctions onthe commodity. 117.Gold,SouthAfrica's singlelargest foreign currency eArner, l!'ccounting for around 40percentofexportrevenues, remains apowerful weaponthatcouldbeused inthebattleagainst aparthela. Theimposition ofsanctions against SouthAfrican goldwouldhaveanimpactnotonlyonvitalforeign exchange earnings butalsoon taxreVdnU9S ~ccruing toSouthAfrica, withtaxesraiseddirectly orindirftctly fromthegolu-mining industry, representing aquarter of~lltaxesraised bythe regime. Eveninpresent circumstances andintheabsence ofsanctions, SouthAfrica's gold-mining industry isexperiencing serious difficulties, having Guffered fromadecline ofalmost 20percentinworldgoldpricesbetween mid-1988 andmid-1989. Withoperating costsrisinginaninflationary environment, the numberofmar1inal minesinSouthAfricaisincreasing. AllAddedtothis a~ethe difficulties imposed onSouthAfrican miningconcerns bytheirlackofaccessto newtechnology andthelowergradesoforebeingenco\mtered. Goldsanctions .-ould tendtoexacerbate notonlytheindustry's problems butalsothoseoftheentire SouthAfrican economy (seepara.161). 118.Thetransport ofgoodsandpersons intoandoutofSouthAfriceisanareain whichexternal pressure ontheregimecouldbeintensified. Asnotedabove,with regardtotheoilembargo, shipping companies continue tocarryoiltoSouth African ports. Exportshipments ofSouthAfrican coal,agricultural products,
**Analysis**
The text primarily discusses the economic situation of South Africa, specifically the impact of international sanctions on the country's economy, trade, and industries. It highlights the country's dependence on certain commodities like petroleum, coal, and gold, and how these industries are vulnerable to external pressures. The text also touches on the transportation sector and its potential for intensifying external pressure on the regime.

**Category**
Economic development, International trade