VOA标准英语2018--在非洲做生意

Doing Business in Africa

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and a delegation¹ from the President's Advisory² Council on Doing Business in Africa announced over 1 billion dollars in private-sector deals during their recent mission to four sub-Saharan African nations.

The Advisory Council members expect to quickly conclude more than 2 billion dollars in additional deals in the coming days.

The four-nation visit, which included stops in Ethiopia, Kenya, and C?te D'Ivoire, concluded in Ghana where Secretary Ross signed a memorandum⁴ of understanding with the Minister of Finance to deepen the commercial partnership⁵ between the two nations. On previous stops, Under Secretary of Commerce Gilbert Kaplan signed cooperative agreements with the Ethiopian and Kenyan governments.

In Ghana, Secretary Ross led the U.S. delegation in meetings with President Nana Akufo-Addo, Vice⁶ President Mahamudu Bawumia, Minister of Trade Alan Kyerematan, Minister of Energy Boakye Agyarko, and Minister of Finance Ken³ Ofori-Atta.

Under Secretary Kaplan led the delegation in Ethiopia, Kenya, and C?te D'Ivoire, meeting with heads of state and senior government officials including Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, President Alassane Ouattara [All-ah-san Wa-ta-ra]and Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly of C?te d'Ivoire and Ethiopian Minister of Finance Abraham Tekeste.

The delegation also met extensively with business leaders and U.S. companies already doing business in those markets.

The delegation also met with officials at the African Development Bank to better understand how and where the bank is providing financing throughout the continent. This financing is a key tool for U.S. companies as they seek procurement⁷ contracts.

Cooperation agreements signed during the trip with Ethiopia, Kenya, and Ghana identify priority projects in key sectors⁸ to help achieve long-term growth and development. The cooperation agreements also establish a forum⁹ for the governments to address and resolve business climate challenges that limit participation¹⁰ by U.S. companies seeking to invest or do business in the three countries.

“The United States is making real progress in Africa, and we remain a strong, long-term, and stable partner in the continent's economic development,” said Secretary Ross.

“We are finding solutions to transition aid-based economies to trade-based economies by creating new pathways for mutually beneficial long-term partnerships¹¹.”

1 delegation   

n.代表团；派遣

参考例句：

• The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
• We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

2 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。

3 ken   

n.视野，知识领域

参考例句：

• Such things are beyond my ken.我可不懂这些事。
• Abstract words are beyond the ken of children.抽象的言辞超出小孩所理解的范围.

4 memorandum   

n.备忘录，便笺

参考例句：

• The memorandum was dated 23 August,2008.备忘录上注明的日期是2008年8月23日。
• The Secretary notes down the date of the meeting in her memorandum book.秘书把会议日期都写在记事本上。

5 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。

6 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

7 procurement   

n.采购；获得

参考例句：

• He is in charge of the procurement of materials.他负责物资的采购。
• More and more,human food procurement came to have a dominant effect on their evolution.人类获取食物愈来愈显著地影响到人类的进化。

8 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 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。

10 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

11 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