2007年VOA标准英语-World Bank Launches Plan to Spark Investment in

By Lisa Bryant
Paris
17 September 2007

This week, the World Bank is launching an unusual initiative to get Africans living in Europe to invest back home - through a competition, complete with cash prizes, for the best development projects targeting sub-Saharan Africa. Lisa Bryant has more from Paris.

Known as the Development Marketplace for African Diaspora in Europe or D-MADE, the World Bank competition is being sponsored by the French, Belgian and Dutch governments. The idea is to get the African diaspora in Europe to invest their money, knowledge and imagination in their home countries by coming up with innovative¹ development proposals.

World Bank communications officer Anne Davis says the initiative is part of larger efforts to get Africans living abroad more involved in their continent's development.

"There are an estimated three million voluntary African migrants in the US and Europe," she said. "One point seven million are in Europe. And African countries themselves have realized that's an untapped resource. "

The Bank will be advertising² its new competition through meetings and through the African media. The 15 or so best submissions³ will be awarded cash prizes, ranging from about $14,000 to $55,000.

"We're looking for any project that can show entrepreneurship, because that's the first theme of this development marketplace targeting the African diaspora, and they need to be able to demonstrate the impact on the social welfare of African communities to create profitable businesses, create jobs or invest in local infrastructure," said Davis. "It's very broad."

Eventually, Davis says, the Bank wants to expand the competition to include Africans and other immigrants living in the U.S. and elsewhere.

But for now, Africans in Europe can learn more about the competition on the Internet.

1 innovative   

adj.革新的，新颖的，富有革新精神的

参考例句：

• Discover an innovative way of marketing.发现一个创新的营销方式。
• He was one of the most creative and innovative engineers of his generation.他是他那代人当中最富创造性与革新精神的工程师之一。

2 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

3 submissions   

n.提交( submission的名词复数 )；屈从；归顺；向法官或陪审团提出的意见或论据

参考例句：

• The deadline for submissions to the competition will be Easter 1994. 递交参赛申请的截止时间为1994年的复活节。 来自辞典例句
• Section 556(d) allows the agency to substitute written submissions for oral direct testimony in rulemaking. 第五百五十六条第（四）款准允行政机关在规则制定中用书面提交材料替代口头的直接证言。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法