U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is heading emergency talks aimed at tackling the growing crisis caused by soaring food prices around the world. Participating in this two-day high-powered meeting in the Swiss capital, Bern, are the President of the World Bank, the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund and the Heads of nearly 30 United Nations aid agencies.
全球粮食价格上涨引发的危机日益加剧。为此，联合国秘书长潘基文在瑞士首都伯尔尼主持召开为期两天的紧急会议。与会者包括世界银行行长、国际货币基金组织主席、以及将近30个联合国援助机构的负责人等国际发展领域的重量级人物。
U.N. Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon says the steeply rising price of food has developed into a global crisis. He says the U.N.-sponsored meeting in Bern must find solutions to a problem that is increasing poverty, hunger and instability in the world.
联合国秘书长潘基文说，粮价飙升已经演变成一场全球危机。他说，联合国在伯尔尼召开的紧急会议必须找到解决方案，应对这个在全球范围内加剧贫困、饥饿、和动荡的问题。
The United Nations estimates about 100 million of the world's poorest people cannot afford to buy food. Because of the spiraling costs, the World Food Program says its original budget for this year is not enough to feed all the hungry. It is appealing for an additional three quarters of $1 billion to meet the extra expenses.
据联合国有关机构估计，目前世界上有大约一亿贫困人口买不起食物。由于粮价上涨，世界粮食计划署宣布本财年预算出现资金缺口，无法为所有的饥民提供食物。粮食计划署呼吁捐助国提供7.5亿美元的额外资金，以满足预算开支。
The U.N. refugee agency says millions of refugees and internally displaced people will be particularly hard hit by skyrocketing food prices. Spokesman, Ron Redmond, says most of these people are totally dependent on food donations from the international community.
联合国难民事务高级专员公署说，千百万名在本国境内流离失所的难民尤其容易受到粮食涨价的冲击。该机构发言人朗.雷德蒙德说，这些人绝大部分依赖国际社会的粮食援助。
"This kind of dramatic price increases can also trigger instability, particularly in poor countries and this is of great concern to UNHCR as well, because we are already seeing this happening in several countries," said Redmond. "Of course, the possibility could be eventual increased displacement should it trigger further conflict and instability in those countries."
他说：“食品价格的迅速上涨可能引发动荡，尤其是在穷国。难民事务高专署对此深表关注。因为我们看到一些国家已经出现这种问题。而且，这些国家的冲突和不稳定持续加剧的话，难民流离失所的问题可能会更严重。”
The Food and Agriculture Organization warns sharp rises in cereal prices have left 37 poor countries in an emergency situation. This has sparked food riots in many countries including Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Haiti, Ivory Coast, Egypt and Senegal.
联合国粮农组织警告说，粮食涨价已经使37个贫穷国家陷入紧急状态。在布吉纳法索、喀麦隆、海地、科特迪瓦、埃及、和塞内加尔，粮荒引发骚乱。
The meeting in Bern will also address the impact of climate change on food production and explore ways to help poor countries adapt to these changes. The growing controversy over bio-fuels is also on the agenda.
伯尔尼的会议还将讨论全球气候变化对粮食产量的影响，同时探讨如何帮助穷国应对这些变化。日益引起争议的生物燃料开发也是议题之一。
Critics argue that the cultivation of crops for bio-fuels is taking good land away from food production and causing prices to rise. Some people are calling for a moratorium on the production of bio-fuels.
批评者认为，使用农作物转化生物燃料减少了粮食供应，造成粮食涨价。一些人呼吁，生物燃料应当缓行。
The U.N. meeting is expected to come up with a plan of emergency measures to solve the immediate global food crisis. Participants also will begin to address the longer-term problems.
预计，联合国此次会议将推出一项解决眼下全球粮食危机的紧急方案。同时，与会者也会讨论更为长期的问题。 |