2006年VOA标准英语-Afghanistan, US Companies Explore Trade Opportu

By Mil Arcega
Washington, D.C.
24 November 2006
 
watch Matchmaking report

Afghanistan's road to reconstruction¹ depends critically on its ability to re-build its economy. Experts say the best way to do that is to develop new opportunities by creating mutually beneficial trade partnerships³. To help that project along, an Afghan Business "Matchmaking" conference was held recently in Washington, D.C.

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The Afghan matchmaking conference in Washington, D.C.

Business representatives from Afghanistan met with their American counterparts in Washington D.C. to discuss trade opportunities, develop new contacts and share ideas.

"Our aim is to encourage Afghan and U.S. businesses to invest in Afghanistan," said Afghanistan's Minister of Commerce, Mohammed Amin Farhang:

"We are here to explain the Afghan government's economic policies, specifically commerce, development, and private sector⁴ investment. We hope to change the thoughts of some people who became careful about Afghanistan after what recently has happened in Afghanistan."

The matchmaking conference is the opening event of the second annual Afghan business promotion⁵ "road show" across the U.S. and Canada. Attendees will travel to Iowa, in the farm belt, to talk about cooperative agricultural agreement. They will go to Los Angeles to discuss telecommunication⁶ and information-technology partnerships. And they will travel to New York to look at financial services and insurance sectors⁷. 

Azarakhsh Hafizi is Chairman of the Afghanistan International Chamber⁸ of Commerce. "Our goal in attending this conference is the economic development of Afghanistan, getting international capital for Afghanistan. Because no other country has achieved economic development without international investment," he said.

The conference and road show are indicators⁹ of a growing interest in Afghanistan as a place to do business. The Ford¹⁰ Motor Company has been looking for partners to help distribute its automobiles¹¹ there, and Boeing has entered into a partnership² with Afghanistan's national airline.

Earlier this year President Karzai himself was on hand for the opening of a new $25 million Coca-Cola bottling plant outside Kabul. It is the first large factory to open in Afghanistan since the Taliban were driven from power in 2001. The deal -- supported by the Afghan government -- will provide 350 well-paying jobs.

"We want to establish a long term policy plan for the development of the private sector in Afghanistan," said the commerce minister.

Many here believe trade promotion is the key to Afghanistan's long-term stability and future growth. They are working hard to build on that potential, one handshake at a time.

1 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

2 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

3 partnerships   

n.伙伴关系( partnership的名词复数 )；合伙人身份；合作关系

参考例句：

• Partnerships suffer another major disadvantage: decision-making is shared. 合伙企业的另一主要缺点是决定要由大家来作。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• It involved selling off limited partnerships. 它涉及到售出有限的合伙权。 来自辞典例句

4 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

5 promotion   

n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传

参考例句：

• The teacher conferred with the principal about Dick's promotion.教师与校长商谈了迪克的升级问题。
• The clerk was given a promotion and an increase in salary.那个职员升了级，加了薪。

6 telecommunication   

n.电信，远距离通信

参考例句：

• Telecommunication is an industry of service.电信业是一个服务型的行业。
• I only care about the telecommunication quality and the charge.我只关心通信质量和资费两个方面。

7 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

9 indicators   

（仪器上显示温度、压力、耗油量等的）指针( indicator的名词复数 )； 指示物； （车辆上的）转弯指示灯； 指示信号

参考例句：

• The economic indicators are better than expected. 经济指标比预期的好。
• It is still difficult to develop indicators for many concepts used in social science. 为社会科学领域的许多概念确立一个指标仍然很难。

10 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

11 automobiles   

n.汽车( automobile的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• When automobiles become popular,the use of the horse and buggy passed away. 汽车普及后，就不再使用马和马车了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Automobiles speed in an endless stream along the boulevard. 宽阔的林荫道上，汽车川流不息。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》