VOA标准英语2013--报告称发展中国家巨额腐败资金外流

 

Report: Corruption² Cheats Developing Countries of Needed Money 报告称发展中国家巨额腐败资金外流

WASHINGTON — The developing world needs huge sums of money to address its many problems with health, housing, education, and more. A new report says corrupt¹ practices by multinational³ companies, their government enablers, and others, however, are depriving people of a better life.

A financial watchdog group, Washington-based Global Financial Integrity [GFI], reports astounding⁴ sums of money are extracted every year from African, Asian, and Latin American nations. GFI’s new report says that in 2011, some $947 billion was taken out of these countries through what it calls illicit⁵ capital outflows.

GFI Director Raymond Baker⁶ said the 10-year total is even more staggering. “Over the decade from 2002 to 2011, we’re talking about $5.9 trillion that have moved out of the developing countries. Nothing is as harmful as this loss of capital to the poorer countries of the world.”

GFI’s report says China tops the list for that decade, with slightly more than $1 trillion in illegal outflows. Russia was second, with $880 billion. Mexico came in third with nearly $462 billion extracted. The highest ranked African nation was Nigeria, at 10th on the list, with more than $142 billion.

Different corrupt practices contribute to these illicit capital outflows, according to Alex Cobham of the Center for Global Development in London.  “Partly, it’s about the proceeds of crime.  It’s the laundering⁷, particularly, of drugs, of drug proceeds, and the proceeds of human trafficking," said Cobham. "But it’s also corruption itself, the theft of state assets - but that tends to be a small component⁸. The largest component, from almost all of the estimates that we have, for almost all of the countries, is commercial tax evasion⁹.”

Both Baker and Cobham say that tax evasion is largely accomplished¹⁰ through something called mispricing of trade - undervaluing minerals, goods, and other exports to tax authorities. Mispricing of trade also provides an avenue of corruption through false invoices¹¹ providing kickbacks¹².

Sub-Saharan Africa is especially hit hard by illicit capital extraction. GFI’s report says in 2011, that region lost 5.7 percent of its gross domestic product, largely through tax avoidance done by mispricing natural resources and manufactured goods.

Global Financial Integrity’s director says developed nations must take the lead to reduce the massive extraction of capital that keeps some states and their people impoverished¹³.

“The short answer to curtailing¹⁴ the problem of illicit financial flows is transparency - greater transparency in the global financial system. This means getting rid of disguised corporations, this means exchanging tax information across borders, this means companies automatically reporting their sales and profits and taxes paid in every jurisdiction¹⁵ where they’re in business,” said Baker.

Baker and others say that if developing nations could get their fair share from what is produced and extracted, they would have much more money to spend on public health, schools, housing, and other essential needs. 

1 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

2 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

3 multinational   

adj.多国的，多种国籍的；n.多国籍公司，跨国公司

参考例句：

• The firm was taken over by a multinational consulting firm.这家公司被一个跨国咨询公司收购。
• He analyzed the relationship between multinational corporations and under-developed countries.他分析了跨国公司和不发达国家之间的关系。

4 astounding   

adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊，使大吃一惊astound的现在分词)

参考例句：

• There was an astounding 20% increase in sales. 销售量惊人地增加了20%。
• The Chairman's remarks were so astounding that the audience listened to him with bated breath. 主席说的话令人吃惊，所以听众都屏息听他说。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 illicit   

adj.非法的，禁止的，不正当的

参考例句：

• He had an illicit association with Jane.他和简曾有过不正当关系。
• Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year.今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。

6 baker   

n.面包师

参考例句：

• The baker bakes his bread in the bakery.面包师在面包房内烤面包。
• The baker frosted the cake with a mixture of sugar and whites of eggs.面包师在蛋糕上撒了一层白糖和蛋清的混合料。

7 laundering   

n.洗涤（衣等），洗烫（衣等）；洗（钱）v.洗（衣服等），洗烫（衣服等）( launder的现在分词 )；洗（黑钱）（把非法收入改头换面，变为貌似合法的收入）

参考例句：

• Separate the white clothes from the dark clothes before laundering. 洗衣前应当把浅色衣服和深色衣服分开。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He was charged with laundering money. 他被指控洗钱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 component   

n.组成部分，成分，元件；adj.组成的，合成的

参考例句：

• Each component is carefully checked before assembly.每个零件在装配前都经过仔细检查。
• Blade and handle are the component parts of a knife.刀身和刀柄是一把刀的组成部分。

9 evasion   

n.逃避，偷漏(税)

参考例句：

• The movie star is in prison for tax evasion.那位影星因为逃税而坐牢。
• The act was passed as a safeguard against tax evasion.这项法案旨在防止逃税行为。

10 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

11 invoices   

发票( invoice的名词复数 )； （发货或服务）费用清单； 清单上货物的装运； 货物的托运

参考例句：

• Take the example of a purchasing clerk keying invoices into a system. 继续说录入员输入发票的例子，这个录入员是一个全职的数据输入人员。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• Consular invoices are declarations made at the consulate of the importing country. 领事发票是进口国领事馆签发的一种申报书。

12 kickbacks   

n.激烈反应( kickback的名词复数 )；佣金，回扣

参考例句：

• Everyone at City Hall is receiving kickbacks. It's the only way to get anything done there. 市政府里的每个人都收回扣，在那里只有送红包，事情才办得成。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• G raft or kickbacks paid to officials or law enforcem ent authorities. 暗中付给官员或执法人员的回扣。 来自互联网

13 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 curtailing   

v.截断，缩短( curtail的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• They will be curtailing the discussions at two thirty. 他们将把讨论缩短至两点半。 来自互联网
• Individually, banks are acting rationally by retaining their capital and curtailing lending. 此外，银行们正在合理地保留其资本和减少贷款。 来自互联网

15 jurisdiction   

n.司法权，审判权，管辖权，控制权

参考例句：

• It doesn't lie within my jurisdiction to set you free.我无权将你释放。
• Changzhou is under the jurisdiction of Jiangsu Province.常州隶属江苏省。