The Daily Express

BY SAMUEL P. PERRY JR.

LAKE SUCCESS, N. Y. (ANP)

The Economic Commission for Europe revealed last week that Africa has assumed new importance in connection with countries participating in the Marshall Plan.

The commission based its report on the second report of the organization for European Economic Cooperation.

Referring particularly to Africa, it indicated that territories south of the Sahara Desert are becoming increasingly important.

Production and exports of oil-yielding crops have increased appreciably, partly off-setting the reduction in exports from the Far East.

There has been an increase of 40 percent in the exports of groundnuts from British West Africa and a similar increase in exports of palm oil and palm kernels (oil equivalent) from the Belgian Congo.

During the war, the report revealed, there was a reduction in the production of groundnuts in French territories and this has not yet entirely been made good.

Coffee production in French West Africa and Angola has increased substantially. In contrast, as a result of swollen-shoot disease, the production of cocoa is less than pre-war, particularly in the Gold Coast, although exports to the Western Hemisphere are greater.

Also, the commission said, small quantities of rubber are being exported, and jute is being grown experimentally.

The production of sisal, one of the most important products of East Africa, is somewhat less than pre-war, but the proportion exported to the Western Hemisphere has increased notably, and now represents about a quarter of production.

The production of tropical woods has recovered to its pre-war level in French and Belgian territories, and has increased in British territories.

Mineral developments have proceeded steadily, particularly in the Belgian Congo. Production of copper in the Congo and Rhodesia has been sustained at a high level.

The production of zinc in these territories is now five times as great, and the production of tin 150 percent of 1938. A new and substantial production of bauxite has been developed in the Gold Coast.

Conditions in North Africa favor industrial and commercial development. Industrial production in French North Africa is about 1½ times as much as in 1938. Production of electricity has more than doubled.