Global trade and investment has expanded over the past several decades. In Sub-Saharan Africa, however, a region hampered by political instability and governance problems, lack of foreign investment, and other barriers – the opposite has occurred.

Africa’s share of world exports has dropped by nearly two-thirds in three decades from 2.9 percent in 1976 to 0.9 percent in 2006. If Africa’s share of world exports had kept at the same level as the 1970’s its export revenue would be approximately 10 times larger than its current value.

Moreover, while other regions have increased their share of non-oil exports over the last two decades petroleum continues to dominate exports from Sub-Saharan Africa.