2007年VOA标准英语-Kofi Annan Launches Global Humanitarian Forum

By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
29 June 2007

Former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan is launching a new organization to improve humanitarian¹ assistance around the world. Mr. Annan says the new organization, called the Global Humanitarian Forum², will help people in poor countries play a greater role in finding solutions to their developmental and humanitarian problems. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from Geneva, where the new organization will be based.

Kofi Annan

The Global Humanitarian Forum officially gets under way Monday. Mr. Annan, who left his U.N. post at the end of 2006, says the agenda and strategies of the Forum are still being developed. But certain things are clear.

He says the Forum does not intend to compete with other organizations. It aims to complement³ the work that is being done and to chart new ways of approaching humanitarian disasters so the victims can receive help in a more efficient and timely manner.

For example, he says the United Nations and other members of the humanitarian community would not have been able to deal with natural disasters such as the Indian Ocean tsunami⁴ and the earthquake in Kashmir without the help of the military.

"If the military had not come in and provided heavy logistical support … many more people would have died as we would not have been able to get to them," said the former U.N. chief. "And, so the military have become important players in humanitarian relief. And, yet, when we get together to discuss humanitarian issues, they are not around, they are not at the table."

"I think we would want to bring them to the table to discuss with humanitarian actors how we could cooperate. And, from my own previous experience, I know it is not an easy relationship," he added.

Mr. Annan says he recognizes private aid groups are not comfortable working with the military. He says he hopes the Forum can improve this relationship.

The Forum, according to Mr. Annan, will deal with such issues as the humanitarian consequences of climate change. He says more people are likely to flee their homes as natural resources, such as water and food become scarcer.

Yet, these so-called environmental refugees have no legal protections under international law. No one knows how to deal with them. This, he says, is an area of fruitful research for the Forum.

He says his group will also work to persuade developing countries they have an obligation to take carbon emissions⁵ and global warming seriously. Although industrialized countries are chiefly responsible for these emissions, he says China, India, Brazil. South Africa and other developing countries cannot afford to just sit back and do nothing.

"Not only should they begin now, they should take advantage and avoid the mistakes of earlier industrialization and frog leap some of the mistakes the others make and really begin to look for green [environmentally friendly] technology, even if it is a bit more expensive," he said.

"But there are reasonable technologies that can help them. I do not think they can sit back and say let those who are responsible for the bulk of it take care of it and pretend that stopping emission⁶ will slow their growth," he continued.

On the contrary, Mr. Annan says, failure to protect the environment may turn out to be the greatest constraint⁷ on growth and development around the world.

1 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

2 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。

3 complement   

n.补足物，船上的定员；补语；vt.补充，补足

参考例句：

• The two suggestions complement each other.这两条建议相互补充。
• They oppose each other also complement each other.它们相辅相成。

4 tsunami   

n.海啸

参考例句：

• Powerful quake sparks tsunami warning in Japan.大地震触发了日本的海啸预警。
• Coastlines all around the Indian Ocean inundated by a huge tsunami.大海啸把印度洋沿岸地区都淹没了。

5 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

6 emission   

n.发出物，散发物；发出，散发

参考例句：

• Rigorous measures will be taken to reduce the total pollutant emission.采取严格有力措施，降低污染物排放总量。
• Finally,the way to effectively control particulate emission is pointed out.最后，指出有效降低颗粒排放的方向。

7 constraint   

n.(on)约束，限制；限制(或约束)性的事物

参考例句：

• The boy felt constraint in her presence.那男孩在她面前感到局促不安。
• The lack of capital is major constraint on activities in the informal sector.资本短缺也是影响非正规部门生产经营的一个重要制约因素。