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贸易、投资与增长将成为美非高峰论坛重要议题

Business leaders from African nations are visiting key U.S. energy and transportation facilities, seeking ideas and contacts to solve problems that slow economic development. It is an effort to boost U.S. investment in Africa and increase economic growth and employment on both sides of the Atlantic.

非洲各国商业领袖参观了美国主要的一些能源和交通设施，希望从中获得解决经济发展放慢的方法和商业资源。这是为了推动美国在非洲的投资，也是为了促进美国与非洲的经济和就业增长。

Trade and investment issues are an important part of a summit between President Barack Obama and many African leaders that will take place early in August in Washington.

今年八月份，奥巴马总统将与许多非洲领导人进行会晤，届时，贸易与投资将成为重要议题。

Business leaders from African nations have been visiting U.S. airports and energy facilities over the last couple of years.

非洲各国的商业领袖在过去几年参观了美国的机场及一些能源设施。

They are seeking solutions for their countries' infrastructure¹ problems, as well as business contacts and investors² who could provide new technology and financing.

他们在寻求解决他们国家基础设施问题的方法，以及能够提供新技术和融资的商业资源与投资。

More inspection³ trips are planned, including visits to energy facilities in Houston and Chicago's O’Hare airport just before the Washington summit.

在高峰论坛举行之前，他们还会参观很多地方，包括休斯顿的能源设施和芝加哥奥黑尔国际机场。

The head of the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, Leocadia Zak, said solving infrastructure problems would help African economies grow faster because farmers and others could get their products to market more easily.

美国贸易与发展署署长扎克（Leocadia Zak）说，解决基础设施问题能够加快非洲的经济增长，因为农民及其他制造者能够更容易将产品运到市场。“

“The cost of transportation is really inhibiting⁴ their ability to market those goods successfully in the region as well as in their own country,” said Zak.

运输成本高确实阻碍了将产品成功推广到他们自己国家及非洲其它地区的市场。”

Given the right conditions, African markets can flourish. For example, the number of mobile phones in Africa has soared from 15 million to 800 million since 2000, according to a scholar at the Atlantic Council.

如果万事俱备，非洲市场将会繁荣起来。例如，据“大西洋理事会”（Atlantic Council）的一位学者，自2000年以来非洲移动电话的数量从1500万部已经激增到了8亿部。

J. Peter Pham said such growth is aided by Africa's natural resources and fast-growing population, which already tops one billion people.  He said Africa’s population eventually may exceed that of India or China and change global markets.

J?彼得?范（J. Peter Pham）表示，这种增长得益于非洲的自然资源及快速增长的人口。非洲人口目前已达10亿。

"It [Africa] is a very young population -- by mid-century a quarter of the world’s workers will be in Africa. So it will be a locus⁵ of production and jobs as well as a potential marketplace," said Pham.

他还说，非洲人口最终会超过印度和中国，并由此改变全球市场。“非洲还很年轻。到本世纪中叶，非洲将拥有世界四分之一的劳动力。因此，那里将成为生产和就业所在地，成为潜在市场。”

That's why the U.S. is bringing together hundreds of CEOs from both sides of the Atlantic in search of investment opportunities in Africa, according to U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Linda Thomas-Greenfield.

美国助理国务卿琳达?汤托马斯-格林菲尔德（Linda Thomas-Greenfield）说，这也是为什么美国让美非的数百位CEO共聚一堂，探讨在非洲投资的机遇。

“We hope this is a transactional event where leaders will leave and CEOs leave with some ideas how they might move forward in a proactive way on investment in the continent,” she said.

“我们希望这项事务性活动结束的时候，各国领导人和CEO们能就如何积极推进在非洲投资有一些想法。”

Some African nations are major oil and mineral producers, and many of their exports go to China.

一些非洲国家是主要的石油和矿产生产国，他们的许多产品出口到中国。

China has invested billions of dollars in Africa over the past decade, and along with the European Union has replaced the U.S. as Africa’s largest trading partner.

中国过去十年来在非洲的投资达数十亿美元，与欧盟一起，替代美国成为了非洲最大的贸易伙伴。

Beijing's expanding influence in Africa worries some critics who say China does little to promote human rights and good governance.

中国在非洲的影响力日益扩大，这令一些批评家担心，他们说，中国在促进人权和有效治理方面所做甚少。

Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield said Chinese investment could be good if it leads to more development and jobs for Africans.

托马斯-格林菲尔德说，中国的投资若能为非洲带来更多的发展与就业，那会是件好事。

She said skillful bargaining with potential foreign investors and stronger efforts to clean up corruption⁶ will help Africa prosper⁷.

她表示，非洲若能善于与潜在外国投资者进行洽谈，并深化反腐败，那将有助于非洲繁荣。