2007年VOA标准英语-ECOWAS Searches for New Ways to Stop Illegal Mi

By Efam Dovi
Accra
18 January 2007

The Commission of the Economic Community of West African States says it is trying to find new solutions to help end the wave of illegal migration¹ from the region to Europe. Efam Dovi spoke² to the ECOWAS president at a recent conference in Ghana and files this report from the capital, Accra.

 

Mohamed Ibn Chambas (file photo)

Mohamed Ibn Chambas says ECOWAS and the International Migration Organization are in the process of convening³ a meeting of migration experts, next month in Dakar, Senegal.

 

"And, at this meeting we will try to elaborate a regional approach to this issue," he explained, "convene⁵ our ministers so that we can come up with policies for our governments to have an approach that will tackle the issues at their base, fundamentally."

 

Last year, tens of thousands of West Africans trying to escape poverty and difficult conditions tried to reach Europe - often using dangerous means. Some died at sea. Others were picked up on European Islands and sent back home.

 

The ECOWAS president says Africa and Europe have to work together to come up with a comprehensive framework to address the problem.

 

He says it is important to educate the youth in Africa on the dangers they face in the Atlantic and in the Mediterranean⁶. However, he also calls for a more humane⁷ approach for when the migrants are picked up in Europe.

 

Chambas says ways have to be sought to make it easier for people to migrate lawfully⁸ to avoid exploitation.

"We have to look at the labor⁴ needs of Europe, which are there and when there is demand there will be this kind of push factor from Africans to go and, when they get there, they are used, in sometimes clandestine⁹ ways," he said. "We have to find ways to regularize and legalize these things, so that people don't use these traffickers to try and get into Europe."

 

But he also says African governments have a duty to prioritize investment in education and develop the continent's human resources and infrastructure¹⁰. He says strong economies would be an incentive¹¹ for people to stay. He says other measures are being taken to address the problem.

 

"We are engaged in economic partnership¹² agreement with Europe, negotiating one, and some of the issues coming up are the issues of productive capacity in our region," Chambas noted¹³, "ensuring that whatever agreement that we end up with does not open up West Africa to the ferocious¹⁴ competition from industries in Europe, which obviously our industries will not be able to stand, [and that it] does not lead to lost of jobs, because if that were to happen, then of course you will be pushing more of our youth to seek other avenues for employment, such as going to Europe."

 

Chambas says regional conflicts force people to leave their homes.

 

He says efforts are being made to ensure the peace process in Ivory Coast stays on course. He looks for United Nations-sanctioned elections there, in the near future.

 

He calls for continuous vigilance and for commitment to good governance, improving transparency and accountability, as well as rule of law in the West African region. He says stability is a major factor in discouraging migration.

1 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。

2 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。

3 convening   

召开( convene的现在分词 )； 召集； （为正式会议而）聚集； 集合

参考例句：

• When convening the assembly, however, you shall blow without sounding an alarm. 民10:7但招聚会众的时候、们要吹号、不要吹出大声。
• We warmly welcome the convening of Asia-Europe meeting in London. 热烈欢迎亚欧会议在伦敦召开。

4 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。

5 convene   

v.集合，召集，召唤，聚集，集合

参考例句：

• The Diet will convene at 3p.m. tomorrow.国会将于明天下午三点钟开会。
• Senior officials convened in October 1991 in London.1991年10月，高级官员在伦敦会齐。

6 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

7 humane   

adj.人道的，富有同情心的

参考例句：

• Is it humane to kill animals for food?宰杀牲畜来吃合乎人道吗？
• Their aim is for a more just and humane society.他们的目标是建立一个更加公正、博爱的社会。

8 lawfully   

adv.守法地，合法地；合理地

参考例句：

• Lawfully established contracts shall be protected by law. 依法成立的合同应受法律保护。 来自口语例句
• As my lawfully wedded husband, in sickness and in health, till death parts us. 当成是我的合法丈夫，无论疾病灾难，直到死亡把我们分开。 来自电影对白

9 clandestine   

adj.秘密的，暗中从事的

参考例句：

• She is the director of clandestine operations of the CIA.她是中央情报局秘密行动的负责人。
• The early Christians held clandestine meetings in caves.早期的基督徒在洞穴中秘密聚会。

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。

11 incentive   

n.刺激；动力；鼓励；诱因；动机

参考例句：

• Money is still a major incentive in most occupations.在许多职业中，钱仍是主要的鼓励因素。
• He hasn't much incentive to work hard.他没有努力工作的动机。

12 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。

13 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。

14 ferocious   

adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的

参考例句：

• The ferocious winds seemed about to tear the ship to pieces.狂风仿佛要把船撕成碎片似的。
• The ferocious panther is chasing a rabbit.那只凶猛的豹子正追赶一只兔子。