VOA标准英语2009年-IMF: Financial Crisis Threatens Africa's Income

The head of the International Monetary¹ Fund, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, said Tuesday that the hard-won income gains in Sub-Saharan Africa during the past decade could be wiped out by the still unfolding global financial crisis.

In a new study, the IMF says the financial crisis is likely to have a major impact on low-income countries, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa.
　
IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn (file photo)

The fund identified 26 low-income countries - 14 in Africa - that it regards as especially vulnerable to the lower export prices that have accompanied the global economic slowdown. Because these low-income countries are more integrated into the world economy, the IMF says they are more exposed to the crisis that has essentially² stalled economic growth worldwide. The vulnerable economies include oil exporters Angola, Nigeria and Sudan.

Strauss-Kahn says next week's IMF conference in Tanzania (March 9-11) will focus on Africa's development priorities. The meeting will also look ahead to the summit of leaders of the world's 20 biggest economies in London early next month.

"Those African countries fear, rightfully, that decisions could be made at the global level, by a kind of governance council of the world economy, without their voice and comments," he said.

South Africa is the only African member of the Group of 20.

As the global economic slowdown accelerates, the IMF has downgraded its forecast for economic growth. In October, it predicted that Sub-Saharan Africa would grow by more than six percent this year. Its latest forecast cuts that figure in half. The world economy as a whole is expected to grow by a meager³ 0.5 percent in 2009 - its worst performance in 40 years.

The IMF's Strauss-Kahn says coordinated⁴ action is required to pull the global economy out of its slump⁵.

"There's a real need to always and always to repeat the need for a multilateral approach to a global crisis, to take into account not only what is happening to your own country, but [also] outside," he said.

The International Monetary Fund has been calling for the major countries to implement⁶ coordinated increases in government spending and tax cuts to stimulate⁷ the global economy.

1 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

2 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

3 meager   

adj.缺乏的，不足的，瘦的

参考例句：

• He could not support his family on his meager salary.他靠微薄的工资无法养家。
• The two men and the woman grouped about the fire and began their meager meal.两个男人同一个女人围着火，开始吃起少得可怜的午饭。

4 coordinated   

adj.协调的

参考例句：

• The sound has to be coordinated with the picture. 声音必须和画面协调一致。
• The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

5 slump   

n.暴跌，意气消沉，（土地）下沉；vi.猛然掉落，坍塌，大幅度下跌

参考例句：

• She is in a slump in her career.她处在事业的低谷。
• Economists are forecasting a slump.经济学家们预言将发生经济衰退。

6 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

7 stimulate   

vt.刺激，使兴奋；激励，使…振奋

参考例句：

• Your encouragement will stimulate me to further efforts.你的鼓励会激发我进一步努力。
• Success will stimulate the people for fresh efforts.成功能鼓舞人们去作新的努力。