tions, a number of others closed down. The causes were lower demand for experts because of the world recession, and also protectionist measures in the United States, where a quota was imposed on irr.ports of knitwear. Nevertheless, despite greater competition from similar zones elsewhere, rrcduction picked up by 8 per cent in 1981 after stagnating in 1980, though with no increase in the level of employment. · 114. In addition to the impact of protectionism in such countries as Mauritania and Tunisia, African exports are held back by the fact that they are not competitive with exports from A sian and Latin A me ri can countries. The hi eh cost of labour relative to productivity makes. it very difficult for African countries to compete even for roods ¥rith a hic.h labour content, where they should have a comparative aovantage. (.£) Employment 115. Current data on manufacturinf employl!lent are rare, thoue..h it is known to account for a very small share of total wage employment. In Alperia in 1980, for example, the 8hare vras only 11.8 per cent. With the global slump affectinf ~anufacturing, 65 E/ECA /CM. 9/5 employment cannot have increased sienificantly at the reeional level, and in fact there are data which shew a decline in this type of employment in some countries, such as the Ivory Ccast. In Tunisia, which has a relatively developed manufacturing sec­ tor, manu:acturing employment in 1982 accounted for some 37.5 per cent of total wage employment; and has increased steadily since 1975, with strong encouraeement from the Governement. However, this has not entailed productivity losses; averafe output per employee in fact increased by 60.2 per cent in 1979-1982, while prices increased by less than 50 per cent over the same period. 116. In Egypt growth in employment in manufacturing has been very 