VOA标准英语2010年-New York Conference Tackles Investment

Although financial experts say that Africa is among the world's most risky¹ places to invest, some like former Treasury² Secretary Robert Rubin sees limitless possibilities. Recently, business leaders from Africa met with potential investors³ on Wall Street to make the case for investment opportunities that exist on their continent. The conference, Africa Investment Index Series Summit, was co-hosted by the New York Stock Exchange.

The event brought together African CEOs, international investors, pension funds and capital market professionals to explore investment in Africa.

Robert Rubin, a former US Treasury Secretary, was the keynote speaker. He's on the Africa Progress Panel, an international body that promotes social and economic development in Africa.

He said although people tend to think of Africa's natural resources, opportunities exist in media, telecommunications and infrastructure⁴.

"It seems to me that we in the United States should be more focused on Africa not only as the source of natural resources but also for the full range of opportunities that exist," said Robert Rubin. "There is no reason why our presence shouldn't be as great as if not greater than China's."

 

Eddy⁵ Njoroge is Managing Director of KenGen, a Kenyan utility with about six million customers. He says his company could be an opportunity for investors.

"We hope to be 3,000 megawatts within the next 3 years or so," said Eddy Njoroge. "By 2030, we hope to be over 10,000 megawatts. So we'll be looking for a lot of partnerships⁶."

For the skeptics, he adds this.

"We have a fairly robust⁷ regulatory framework," he said. "We know what our return on investments will be right up front."

Moving to West Africa, conference participant Ekow Afedzie is deputy managing director of the Ghana Stock Exchange.

"Ghana Stock Exchange is quite a small market," said Ekow Afedzie. "We do have 35 companies listed. Most of them are multinationals⁸. When most markets were down all around the world, our market was up like 58 percent."

But he's looking to introduce new products like mutual⁹ funds, bonds and perhaps derivatives¹⁰.

"One key thing we need to do is, as a market in Ghana and generally for African markets, is to go beyond what we just have," he said.

Portfolio¹¹ manager Johan De Bruijn says he believes there are attractive opportunities in Africa's consumer sector¹².

"There are 900 million consumers," said Johan De Bruijn. "They are scattered¹³ across the continent but focused on some very large conglomerations such as Cairo and Lagos and consumer products play into that. You've seen it with telecom and beer companies and Coca Cola."

But some countries are being overlooked, he says.

"I think the French speaking countries have been missed by investors," he said. "I think one thing that's important is that they have a common currency and central bank. With the rise of soft commodities prices such as coffee, cocoa, in which lots of these countries are world leaders in Ivory Coast, Senegal and Mali, I think there will more interest that would follow."

All four corners of Africa were represented at the conference. But only about 15 African companies are listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Political instability, lack of infrastructure and poverty remain the biggest challenges.

But experts say countries like Nigeria - a major crude oil producer, Ghana which has had stable governments over the last two decades, and Kenya are just a few examples of how Africa can be an attractive place to invest
 

1 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。

2 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

3 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

4 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

5 eddy   

n.漩涡，涡流

参考例句：

• The motor car disappeared in eddy of dust.汽车在一片扬尘的涡流中不见了。
• In Taylor's picture,the eddy is the basic element of turbulence.在泰勒的描述里，旋涡是湍流的基本要素。

6 partnerships   

n.伙伴关系( partnership的名词复数 )；合伙人身份；合作关系

参考例句：

• Partnerships suffer another major disadvantage: decision-making is shared. 合伙企业的另一主要缺点是决定要由大家来作。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• It involved selling off limited partnerships. 它涉及到售出有限的合伙权。 来自辞典例句

7 robust   

adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的

参考例句：

• She is too tall and robust.她个子太高，身体太壮。
• China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道，中国希望保持经济强势增长，以减少贫困和失业状况。

8 multinationals   

跨国公司( multinational的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• These local companies are only small fry compared with the huge multinationals. 同那些跨国公司比，这些当地的公司不过是小鱼小虾。
• Some people believe that the multinationals have too much power. 有人认为跨国公司的权力太大了。

9 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

10 derivatives   

n.衍生性金融商品；派生物，引出物( derivative的名词复数 )；导数

参考例句：

• Many English words are derivatives of Latin words. 许多英语词来自拉丁语。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• These compounds are nitrosohydroxylamine derivatives. 这类合成物是亚硝基羟胺衍生物。 来自辞典例句

11 portfolio   

n.公事包；文件夹；大臣及部长职位

参考例句：

• He remembered her because she was carrying a large portfolio.他因为她带着一个大公文包而记住了她。
• He resigned his portfolio.他辞去了大臣职务。

12 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

13 scattered   

adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的

参考例句：

• Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。