VOA标准英语2011--AU's Slow Recognition of NTC Prompts Cal

AU's Slow Recognition of NTC Prompts Calls for Reform

The African Union has finally recognized Libya's National Transitional Council, dealing¹ another blow to ousted² leader Moammar Gadhafi. Some African leaders say the delay in acting³ on Libya shows the African Union is out of touch.
The African Union says it is ready to support the transitional council as it works to form an inclusive government in Libya. In a statement Tuesday, the alliance called on the interim⁴ council to protect all foreign workers in Libya amid reports that some militia⁵ have targeted African migrants who they suspect of being pro-Gadhafi mercenaries.
The African Union has been slow to act on Libya. One month ago, the interim council was recognized by most European nations and the United States along with several prominent African governments including Nigeria, Ethiopia, Senegal, and Ivory Coast.
Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara says the African Union delay on Libya shows how little influence the alliance has.
"I must confess I am very disappointed with the African Union - the lack of efficiency, the lagging decisions, the fact that the different sub-regions are not well-connected into the decision-making process. And I don't think the [AU] Commission really has any power or responsibility," said Ouattara.
On Libya, Ouattara says it has been as if the African Union does not know what is going on in the world when all you have to do is watch television to see that the National Transitional Council is in power. The Ivorian president says it is up to regional alliances such as the Economic Community of West African States to improve the larger 54-member group.
"Getting the African Union to work better should be a priority," Ouattara added. "And we at ECOWAS certainly have an ambition in that. We comprise 15 countries. I think we are better coordinated⁷. We are in touch with each other."
President Ouattara spoke⁸ at a session of the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations in New York, where he shared the stage with Sierra Leone's leader Ernest Bai Koroma. President Koroma says the response to the Libyan crisis shows the need to rework the African Union.
"The groupings within the Union are visible, and they may be responsible for a sluggishness⁹ of the Union," said Koroma. "The position of some of us is that we have to transform the whole concept of the African Union, make it into an institution that will have a completeness in terms of mandate¹⁰ and decision-making. It is not only the promptness of taking a decision but also having the authority of implementing¹¹ decisions that are taken."
Gadhafi has long been the African Union's chief financier. Taking the place of the Organization of African Unity⁶, the African Union was founded at a summit in Gadhafi's hometown in 1999.
Human rights activist¹² Shehu Sani is the author of the book "Civilian¹³ Dictators of Africa". He says the African Union is embarrassed over Libya.
"The rebel government in Libya is being seen to be a pro-European and pro-Western establishment," said Sani. "And the AU feel embarrassed and disappointed for the very fact that they have been ignored by the rebels and even by NATO. There can't be any peace in Libya without such issues being tackled."
Given Gadhafi's financial generosity¹⁴ with governments and rebel movements across Africa, Sani says Libya's interim council must move quickly to isolate¹⁵ him.
"It must incorporate states that are around Libya," added Sani. "It must also win the hearts of Gadhafi's friends in order to ostracize¹⁶ him. If not, there can't be peace in Tripoli."
South Africa led the block of African Union members resisting recognition of Libya's interim council. But Jacob Zuma's government Tuesday followed the African Union announcement with South African recognition of Tripoli's new leaders.

1 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

2 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

3 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

4 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

5 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

6 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

7 coordinated   

adj.协调的

参考例句：

• The sound has to be coordinated with the picture. 声音必须和画面协调一致。
• The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

8 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

9 sluggishness   

不振，萧条，呆滞；惰性；滞性；惯性

参考例句：

• Such estimate of viscosities do give us some concept of the sluggishness of debris flows. 这种对泥石流粘度的估计确实给我们提供了一些泥石流惰性方面的概念。 来自辞典例句
• The general appearance of sluggishness alarmed his friends. 那种呆滞的样子吓坏了他的朋友们。 来自互联网

10 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

11 implementing   

v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句

12 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

13 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

14 generosity   

n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为

参考例句：

• We should match their generosity with our own.我们应该像他们一样慷慨大方。
• We adore them for their generosity.我们钦佩他们的慷慨。

15 isolate   

vt.使孤立，隔离

参考例句：

• Do not isolate yourself from others.不要把自己孤立起来。
• We should never isolate ourselves from the masses.我们永远不能脱离群众。

16 ostracize   

v.放逐，排斥

参考例句：

• He was ostracized by his colleagues for refusing to support the strike.他因不支持罢工而受同事排斥。
• She claims she's being ostracized by some members of her local community.她声称受到当地社区一些人的排挤。