been visited upon us by a system that treats developing countries as minors and surrogates in the community of nations in economic matters. But we developing countries have to take the first steps ourselves to redress our own situation. We cannot, and should not, expect those countries that exploit us to feel sympathy for us and take steps to improve our situation. For example, with those raw materials of which we are the sole supplier or the sole producer, we can surely form producer cartels that can increase the prices of those raw materials on the international market, The experience of the Organization of petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in 1973 is a case in point that can be applied in many other areas of raw material production, and managed better. There have been many controversies about that important step taken in 1973, but the hard reality is that it did increase the earnings of the countries concerned that produced oil and other related commodities. The formation of cartels and producer co-operatives as a means of mitigating the negative effects of price fluctuations and to maximize the returns of our exports, is a definite course of action that is open to us. The other way open to us is the one we have described in many documents at present, whereby we export more to the developed countries and earn less for the same quantity of products. In an era characterized by the increasing recourse to greater regional economic integration in Europe and North America, it is essential that developing countries also vigorously pursue their own integration efforts. We should not just JSM/td A/S-18/PV. 5 79-80 (Mr. Shamuyarira, Zimbabwe) wait and see the developed markets integrating themselves, deepening their co-operation, while we stand by being marginalized by the events. For us in Africa 
**Analysis**
The text discusses the economic situation of developing countries and their relationship with developed countries. It highlights the need for developing countries to take control of their own economic destiny by forming cartels and producer co-operatives to increase their earnings and mitigate the negative effects of price fluctuations. The text also emphasizes the importance of regional economic integration among developing countries.

**Category**
International trade, Economic development