VOA常速英语2015--非洲国家希望从美国新立法中受益

African Nations Hope to Benefit From Renewed US Legislation 非洲国家希望从美国新立法中受益

The United States and African nations hold the first conference this week in Gabon on the African Growth and Opportunities Act since Congress recently renewed a zero tariff¹ deal for another 10 years. African nations hope to better exploit preferential access in the future - most analysts² say AGOA has been under-utilized.

Exhibitors at the AGOA forum³ in the Gabonese capital, Libreville, are ready to take full advantage of exporting their products into the U.S. tax free. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Linda Thomas-Greenfield is attending the forum and said more countries can benefit from AGOA.

正出席这一论坛负责非洲事务的美国助理国务卿琳达·托马斯·格林菲尔德表示更多的国家可以从《非洲增长与机会法》中受益。

“We are working with those countries through our trade hubs and through consultations⁴ with American companies and trade ministers to try to increase the productivity of companies that are exporting to the U.S. to increase the quality of the products that they are increasing,” said Thomas-Greenfield.

“我们正在与这些国家开展合作，通过我们的贸易中心,通过与美国公司及贸易部长间进行协商来提高各大公司出口到美国产品的生产率以提升产品质量。”

She said it is a long-term process and won’t happen overnight. While this is an exciting time for the Gabonese leadership, the average person in Libreville doesn’t know what AGOA is.

她表示这是一个长期过程,不会在一夜之间发生。虽然对于加蓬的领导权而言这是令人激动的时刻,但利伯维尔的普通市民并不知晓《非洲增长与机会法》是什么。

"Personally this is the first time I am hearing about AGOA," said one local.

“我个人还是第一次听说《非洲增长与机会法》这个词。”

Another resident expressed hopes young entrepreneurs like him can get help.

另一位居民表示希望像他这样的年轻企业家也能从中获得帮助。

"It’s always been difficult because banks around here do not give us loans or help us in any way. They don't take chances on us so [I] hope AGOA can help us with a solution," said Ahmed Mikalal, a resident of Libreville.

“这一直很困难,因为这里银行不贷款给我们或通过任何方式帮助我们。他们不会给我们希望，因此我们希望《非洲增长与机会法》可以提供解决方案,”

Few African economies have taken advantage of the U.S. trade initiative. Dumile Cele, the Durban chamber⁵ of commerce chief executive, said the trade partnership⁶ has helped advance South Africa's manufacturing sector⁷.

几乎没有非洲经济体利用美国贸易法案。德班商会的首席执行官杜米尔·克莱表示贸易伙伴关系已帮助推动南非制造业。

"South Africa has been able to grow the export of besides the citrus which are agricultural goods, besides those we have been able to export an enormous amount of vehicles, parts into the U.S.A. market,” said Cele.

“除农产品柑橘及那些我们能够出口大量进入美国市场的部分车辆外，南非已经扩大了出口市场。”

But Witney Schneidman, a non-resident fellow at the Brookings Institution, noted⁸ that there have been some disparities.

但布鲁金斯学会非本土研究员卡梅隆·斯涅德曼指出其中存在的一些差异。

“South Africa exports about $4 billion worth of products to the U.S. under AGOA, and I don’t think there’s another country that reaches a billion dollars. So I think it’s really a challenge for the U.S. and for all AGOA beneficiaries to figure out how to take better advantage of the legislation,” Schneidman said over Skype.

“据《非洲增长与机会法》，南非出口到美国的产品价值约40亿, 我认为没有其他国家达到10亿美元这样的数字。所以我认为对美国及《非洲增长与机会法》的受益者而言找出如何更好地利用立法是真正的挑战。”

But while economies of countries like South Africa have grown, other African leaders have said their countries lack the skilled labor⁹ and infrastructure¹⁰ to take advantage of it.

虽然南非这样的国家的经济已增长,但其他非洲领导人表示他们的国家缺乏利用《非洲增长与机会法》的熟练劳动力及基础设施。

1 tariff   

n.关税，税率；(旅馆、饭店等)价目表，收费表

参考例句：

• There is a very high tariff on jewelry.宝石类的关税率很高。
• The government is going to lower the tariff on importing cars.政府打算降低进口汽车的关税。

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 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

4 consultations   

n.磋商（会议）( consultation的名词复数 )；商讨会；协商会；查找

参考例句：

• Consultations can be arranged at other times by appointment. 磋商可以通过预约安排在其他时间。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Consultations are under way. 正在进行磋商。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

6 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

7 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。

8 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。

9 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

10 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。