VOA常速英语2018--伊拉克百姓或迎新生（在线收听）

U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Douglas Silliman recently joined the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General and UN Development Program, or UNDP, Resident Representative Lise Grande for a visit to several sites in the Ninewa Plains of Iraq. The visit sought to highlight the U.S.-UN partnership in supporting the Iraqi government's efforts to help its most vulnerable people return home following the liberation of their territory from ISIS.

近日，美国驻伊拉克大使道格拉斯 席里曼(Douglas Silliman)与秘书长副特派代表兼联合国开发计划署(UNDP)驻地代表格兰德(Lise Grande)一道，对伊拉克尼尼微平原的多个地方进行了访问。此次访问旨在高度体现美国-联合国的伙伴关系，该伙伴关系支持伊拉克政府助力其最为脆弱的人返乡，因为他们的故土已经从IS手中得以解放了。

During his visit to the historically Christian towns of Al Hamdaniya and Karamless, home to Syriac Catholic and Chaldean Catholic communities respectively, Ambassador Silliman reaffirmed the U.S. government's commitment to supporting the UNDP Funding Facility for Stabilization. To date, the United States has provided 190.3 million dollars to this program. This includes a recent 75 million dollar contribution, portions of which the United States has specifically set aside for projects in the Ninewa Plains. The second tranche of an additional 75 million dollars is pending.

席里曼访问了有源远流长基督教历史的Al Hamdaniya镇以及Karamless镇，这两个小镇分别信仰叙利亚天主教和迦勒底天主教。访问期间，大使席里曼重申，美国政府致力于支持联合国开发计划署的维稳资助机制(FFS)。目前为止，美国已经为该项目提供了1亿9030万美元。其中包括最近捐献的7500万美元，这7500万美元中有部分资金是为尼尼微平原项目专设的。7500万美元中的剩余资金，用途待定。

The U.S. government also plans to fund non-governmental and private organizations to help communities in the Ninewa Plains and western Ninewa, including ethnic and religious minorities.

美国政府还计划为非政府组织和民间组织提供资金，以帮助尼尼微平原以及尼尼微西部的各个社群，其中包括少数民族和宗教少数群体。

Separately, the United States has contributed more than 1.7 billion dollars in humanitarian assistance since 2014 for conflict-affected Iraqis who were displaced by the ISIS threat.

自2014年以来，美国还单独捐助了17多亿美元的人道主义资金，用以帮助受战事影响的伊拉克人民，他们因受到IS的威胁而流离失所。

UNDP Resident Representative for Iraq Lise Grande said, We are very grateful for the contribution of the U.S. government. UNDP is currently implementing more than 1,000 projects across Ninewa Governorate.

联合国开发计划署驻伊拉克代表格兰德表示，我们非常感激美国政府捐献的资金。联合国开发计划署正在利用这些资金在尼尼微省着手实施1000多个项目。

The visit also included meetings with Syriac Catholic and Chaldean Catholic religious leaders and a tour of the Karamless primary health care center, another UNDP stabilization project that the United States will be partially funding.

此次出访期间，席里曼还与叙利亚天主教以及迦勒底天主教的多位宗教领袖进行了会晤，到访了Karamless主要公共卫生中心。该中心也是开发计划署的一个维稳项目，美国也将为该项目提供部分资金。

We are committed to supporting UNDP stabilization projects like these until all displaced Iraqis can return to their liberated, stabilized areas, said Ambassador Silliman at the reopening of the Al Hamdaniya Hospital, which was looted and vandalized during the ISIS occupation before its initial rehabilitation by UNDP.

我们致力于支持开发计划署类似于此的维稳项目，直到所有流离失所的伊拉克人都能重返自己已经解放的稳定地区，大使席里曼在Al Hamdaniya医院重新开业时如是说道。在开发计划署着手对该医院进行复原之前，该医院在IS占领期间备受洗劫摧残。

The U.S. government recently approved 2.6 million dollars to fund UNDP's further rehabilitation of the hospital and the purchase of necessary medical equipment. Ambassador Silliman added, As I look at this facility, I see it as a symbol of hope that more peaceful and prosperous days lie ahead for the people of this community.

近日，美国政府批准发放260万美元，以资助开发计划署进一步复原这家医院，并助力其购置必要的医疗设备。大使席里曼补充道，每当我看到新增的设备，我就看到了希望的象征，预示着这里的人们将拥有更加和平繁荣的未来。