VOA常速英语2007-Brazil, India Pursue Trade in West Africa

By Phuong Tran
Dakar
16 October 2007

Leaders from India and Brazil are concluding visits to West Africa.  Analysts² say growing wealth in these countries, combined with West Africa's resources, can lead to new strategic alliances among developing countries.  Phuong Tran has more from VOA's West Africa Bureau in Dakar.

On his seventh trip to the continent, Brazil President Inacio Lula da Silva visited Burkina Faso and Republic of Congo, to advocate biofuels, created from agricultural crops.

During the oil crisis of the 1970's, Brazil's state-run and subsidized alcohol-fuel program was set up to reduce its dependence³ on Middle Eastern petroleum⁴.  It is now the world's largest exporter of ethanol and its second-biggest producer, after the United States.

Shared energy problems have increased alliances between West Africa and Brazil and, another biofuel producer, India.  Both countries are helping⁵ produce biofuels in Senegal.

Analyst¹ Tom Cargill, with London-based Chatham House, says China, Russia, India and Brazil have growing economies that have increased their abilities to invest in other developing countries.

Cargill says another incentive⁶ for non-industrialized countries to invest in Africa is to garner⁷ influence with the U.N. Security Council.  He points out India's first prime-minister visit to Nigeria in more than four decades has led to new political cooperation agreements.

"There is a political dynamic in terms of wanting to encourage a sense of support and solidarity⁸ both in the Security Council and broader geopolitical interests," he said.  "Trying to shore up its [India's] support across the continent.  There is a range of interests."

India and Africa have both bid for permanent seats on an expanded U.N. Security Council.

Cargill adds Iran has increased investments in West Africa to cultivate political support against threatened U.N. sanctions because of its nuclear development program.  Iran recently agreed to supply Senegal oil for one year and is expected to open a car manufacturing plant there.

Chinese textiles and clothing firms have invested heavily in Africa to get around U.S. and E.U. limits on Chinese exports.  Earlier this year, China paid more than $2 billion for almost half ownership in a Nigerian oil field.

But analyst Cargill says continued interest in West Africa is dependent on a strong world economy, which may not last.

"It is just the beginning," he noted⁹.  "It is still fertile.  And I think connected to more global economic growth.  If there is a reverse in that, we might see this investment slip away again.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Brazil's president are continuing to South Africa where they are expected to attend the Brazil, South Africa and India Summit, initiated¹⁰ by Brazil two years ago in an effort to improve trade with industrialized countries.

1 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

2 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

3 dependence   

n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属

参考例句：

• Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。
• He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。

4 petroleum   

n.原油，石油

参考例句：

• The Government of Iran advanced the price of petroleum last week.上星期伊朗政府提高了石油价格。
• The purpose of oil refinery is to refine crude petroleum.炼油厂的主要工作是提炼原油。

5 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

6 incentive   

n.刺激；动力；鼓励；诱因；动机

参考例句：

• Money is still a major incentive in most occupations.在许多职业中，钱仍是主要的鼓励因素。
• He hasn't much incentive to work hard.他没有努力工作的动机。

7 garner   

v.收藏；取得

参考例句：

• He has garnered extensive support for his proposals.他的提议得到了广泛的支持。
• Squirrels garner nuts for the winter.松鼠为过冬储存松果。

8 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。

9 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

10 initiated   

n. 创始人 adj. 新加入的 vt. 开始，创始，启蒙，介绍加入

参考例句：

• He has not yet been thoroughly initiated into the mysteries of computers. 他对计算机的奥秘尚未入门。
• The artist initiated the girl into the art world in France. 这个艺术家介绍这个女孩加入巴黎艺术界。