p In 1960, the USSR had trade relations with six African countries, in 1965 with 22, and in 1977 with 36, together accounting for 90 per cent of independent Africa’s population.

p Soviet-African inter-government trade agreements set forth general principles and the legal foundations for trade and some of the more important terms regulating transactions and deals. The majority of trade agreements include a provision covering the mutual granting of most- favourednation status.

p Soviet-African trade turnover is growing rapidlyJ Between 1960 and 1976, it increased from 271 million to 1,208.6 million rubles, or by 350 per cent.

p In the early 1960s, Soviet-made goods were virtually unknown on the African market, whereas now, machines, motor vehicles and tractors imported from the USSR are used widely on the south coast of the Mediterranean, in the Nile valley, in the savanna and jungles of Tropical Africa. At the same time, some raw materials imported from Africa are used regularly by Soviet industry, while various tropical farm products and other consumer goods made in Africa are on sale in the Soviet Union.

Yet Soviet-African trade relations are still in the making. The experience of past years has shown that expansion of trade with the USSR often encounters certain difficulties stemming from the multitude of invisible links still lying Africa to the world capitalist economy. Reactionary forces and imperialist monopolies often put up direct obstacles, 203 hampering the development of Soviet-African trade relations. Time is needed to overcome the consequences of Africa’s colonial oppression.