VOA常速英语2017--利比里亚10月10日将选举新政府（在线收听）

Liberia has come a long way since the end of its second civil war in 2003. Since then, the economy grew by more than 7 percent per year, per capita income rose by nearly nine-fold, and life expectancy went from 53 to 61 years.

利比里亚自2003年结束第二次内战以来已经颇有一段时日。自那时开始，利比里亚的经济就以每年7%的速度增长着，其人均收入增长了近9倍，平均寿命也从53岁上升至61岁。

Liberia also made notable progress toward democracy. This includes the nurturing of a vibrant media and active civil society; civil service and public financial management reforms; and the rehabilitation of infrastructure, said USAID Acting Assistant Administrator for Africa Cheryl Anderson.

在民主方面，利比里亚也实现了显著的进步，包括培养富有生机的媒体与活跃的民间社会；公务服务、公共财务管理改革；基础设施的重建等，美国国际开发署非洲事务代理助理署长谢丽尔如是说道。

Over the past 10 years, the United States, Liberia's largest bilateral donor, has dedicated significant resources to help Liberia remain on a path of democratic governance and stability.

过去的10年里，美国作为利比里亚最大的双边捐献国，已经捐助了许多资源，以助力利比里亚继续追求民主治理与稳定。

Our programs in Liberia address the underlying structural and institutional problems that gave rise to fourteen years of civil strife and war, while at the same time tackling the country's more immediate development needs, said Assistant Administrator Anderson.

我们在利比里亚的项目解决了根本性的结构问题和机制问题，正是这些问题造成了利比里亚内部长达14年的冲突与战争。同时，我们也解决了利比里亚更为紧迫的发展需求，助理署长谢丽尔如是说道。

On October 10th, Liberians will go to the polls to elect a new government. It is an historic election, because if it is successful, it will result in the country's first peaceful democratic transition in more than 70 years. It also will mark a critical milestone in Liberia's progress toward a stable democracy.

10月10日，利比里亚人将进行投票，选举出一个新政府。这是一次历史性的选举，因为如果这次选举成功，就能实现利比里亚70多年来第一次和平的民主过渡。这次选举也将标志着利比里亚朝向稳定民主国家迈进的一次关键里程碑。

However, Liberia's National Elections Commission is facing a number of challenges that could complicate the elections, said Donald Yamamoto, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs. This includes poor infrastructure, inadequate funding, and heavy rain that could complicate election logistics.

然而，利比里亚的全国选举委员会正在面临许多挑战，这些挑战会使挑战更加复杂化，非洲事务的代理助理国务卿唐纳德如是说道。其中包括基础设施破败、资金不充足、可能会使选举物流困难的瓢泼大雨。

We are providing comprehensive programming support to the Liberian National Elections Commission, civil society organizations, and media outlets in the run-up to the 2017 elections. In addition, our Ambassador is meeting with candidates running for president to emphasize the importance of peaceful elections, and a transition in government that builds upon the progress made in the last 12 years, he said.

我们正在为利比亚全国选举委员会、民间社会组织、媒体机构在2017年选举之前的准备阶段提供全面的程序性支持。此外，我们的大使正在与总统候选人会晤，以强调和平选举的重要性，并强调政府的过渡是基于过去12年来所取得的进步，他如是说道。

This election is critical, not just for what the transition represents but because it will give Liberians the opportunity to elect a President well-equipped to lead the country towards a peaceful and prosperous future, he said.

这次选举十分重要，不仅对于政府过渡所代表的内涵来说是如此，还因为这次选举将给利比里亚人一个机会，选举出一个有能力引领该国走向和平繁荣未来的总统，他如是说道。

We look to Liberia's election as another positive step forward for democracy in West Africa.

我们将利比里亚的选举视为西非走向民主的另一个积极举措。