2006年VOA标准英语-East African Officials Discuss Defense For

By Cathy Majtenyi
Nairobi
26 April 2006

Officials from several eastern African countries met in Kenya's capital to continue work on putting together a regional peacekeeping force.

Defense¹ ministers and representatives from Djibouti, Somalia, Rwanda, Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Kenya approved budgets for the Eastern Africa Standby Brigade.

Heads of state involved in the forces' formation are also to meet in Ethiopia in June to finalize² coordination³ arrangements for the 13-nation regional force.

In their opening statements, officials from the seven-nation regional grouping Inter-Governmental Authority on Development, known as IGAD, along with the African Union and two governments stressed the importance of having the Eastern Africa Standby Brigade operational as soon as possible.

IGAD director for peace and security, Daniel Yifru, explains the brigade's importance.

"It enables the states of the eastern Africa region to work together to advance the objectives of peace, security, and stability," he said.

Until now, IGAD has been organizing the peacekeeping troops from the eastern Africa area as part of a larger initiative of the African Union to provide security all across the continent.

But now, an independent body, which will include non-IGAD member states, is to oversee⁴ the formation and operation of the Eastern Africa Standby Brigade.

In an earlier interview, IGAD Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution Chief Peter Marwa told VOA the Eastern Africa Standby Brigade aims to have at least 4,500 troops and 1,000 police and other civilians⁵ available to the African Union as an African Standby Force.

Marwa had said that the slow international response to the genocide in Rwanda a decade ago is one factor behind the creation of the AU force.

The troops and civilians organized by IGAD are to come from 13 countries, including: Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Rwanda, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Sudan, Somalia, Tanzania, and Uganda.

IGAD is one of five regional groupings that will contribute troops to the African Union Standby force, which the 53-member pan-African body created in 2002.

1 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

2 finalize   

v.落实，定下来

参考例句：

• Let us finalize tonight.让我们今天晚上干完
• 。At the same time,industrial designers work with engineers to finalize components and assembly.同时，工业设计师和工程师一道来完成部件和组装部分的工作。

3 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。

4 oversee   

vt.监督，管理

参考例句：

• Soldiers oversee the food handouts.士兵们看管着救济食品。
• Use a surveyor or architect to oversee and inspect the different stages of the work.请一位房产检视员或建筑师来监督并检查不同阶段的工作。

5 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。