As an economist who has written about how weaponisation of global trade affects African economies, I believe structural transformation still matters. Trade barriers generally fell, demand for manufactured goods expanded, and richer countries steadily moved out of low-wage industries as incomes increased. The continent’s share of global manufacturing has fallen from roughly 3% in the 1970s to less than 2% today. This challenge does not make structural transformation impossible. Finally, recognise that agriculture is central to structural transformation, not separate from it.