text: a particulary a··ute problem with a serious impact on the output of many in6u~tr~es, especially cotton teYtiles, cifarettes, bat­teries, radios a1 c fuctwear. 64 E/ECA /CM. 9/5 111. Steel production in 1~81 was estimated at only 1,450,000 tonnes, 0.2 per cent of total wcrld production. The major producers are Alceria, Efypt an~ of late Nieeria. Output is growine rapidly (10 per cent in 1980, and 8.7 per cent in 1981), but it is possible that production conditions are not yet economic. Another major metal produced in Africa is aluminium, but here again the volume is neglifible corrpared to world output (2.5 per cent in 1981 ), despite a relativel;v high rate of growth of production (13.4 per cent in 1981 ). The major African producer is Ghana, from the Volta smelter in Tema, which is now operating at capacity. Plans for an 800,000-tonnes-a-year smel­ter to be surplied fro~ the Kibi bauxite deposit are being stuoied. Production is also being increased in r~ozambique, Sier­ ra Leone an c.. Zaire. (.£) EYports 112. Manufacturing exports are still very limited. In 1979, with petroleum products excluded, they represented only 7.1 per cent of total exportsi most of them in basic metals. Apart from refined petroleum, eYports of which totalle~ $1 billion in 1981, and basic metals, most industrial exports originate from North African countries. In Morocco, there was a substantial increase in exports of industrial intermediate products, particularly phosphoric acid, while eYports of consumer products increased by 34.3 per cent. In Tunisia, results ¥!ere not very favourable be­ cause of the recession in export markets and increasing protec­ tionism in the European Economic Corr.~unity. 113. In Eastern Africa, Hauritius, where the creation cf an Ex­ port Processinf Zone hac renerated lar.re gains, encountered serious difficulties in 1981. Though new firrr.s started opera­
analysis: The text appears to focus on the economic development of Africa, specifically discussing the production of various metals, industrial exports, and the impact of recession and protectionism on trade. It also mentions the growth of steel and aluminum production in Africa, which suggests a focus on industrial development.