An important feature of this development is the rapidly expanding trade between developing countries: the average annual growth of South-South trade since 2000 has been 17 per cent, compared with world trade growth rate of 10 per cent. This has caused the relative significance of trade between developed countries (i.e. North-North trade) to decline from about 53 per cent in the late-1990s to just 34 per cent in 2012 (Figure 18.7). Some of the BRICS members, particularly China and India, now provide improved market access to LDCs. They have also become important sources of technical and financial assistance.