(Mr. Ejigu, Ethiopia) economies and developing economies and between different groups of countries which constitute the latter. Moreover, technological changes governing both input use and capital flows have adversely affected the demand for primary comnodi ty exports of developing countries. The 1980s have, therefore, resulted in a sustained fall in export earnings of several developing countries. Too fall in export revenue, combined with high rates of interest in the world market, has fuelled the rapid increase in developing-country debts, with the result that the debt burden has become all but criPPling for a large majority of the developing world. A lamentable indicator of this economic albatross is tm fact that net financial transfers to developing economies have either trickled to a halt, in the case of even multilateral agencies, or actually turned negative in the case of commercial sources. Experts may debate the precise magnitude of the growth and imbalances in world trade in the 1980s; of the exact impact of instability in interest rates or of fluctuations in major ~~«>rld currencies on investment decisions in a specific group of countries or even in any one country. They may dispute the significance of any one factor, such as falling terms of trade for primary commodi tv exporters or movements in the real exchange rate, on the growth performance of developing economies, but the overall conclusion that the 1980s have spelled economic decline combined with greater variability of production and consumption for the vast majority of count.r ies in the developing world is quite inescapable. The wheels of economic growth moved slower and slower through the 1980s. They made the poor even paorer, and widened the already substantial economic disparities in the world economy. An aspect of the economic trends of the 1980s on which there is absolutely no 
**Analysis**
The text discusses the economic trends and challenges faced by developing countries in the 1980s, including the decline in export earnings, increase in debt, and widening economic disparities. It highlights the impact of technological changes, fluctuations in interest rates and currencies, and falling terms of trade on the economies of these countries. The text does not mention any specific sectors such as agriculture, forestry, or fishing, nor does it discuss natural resources, environment, or humanitarian aid. It primarily focuses on economic development and international trade.

**Category**
Economic development, International trade