VOA常速英语2008年-Kenyan Business Leaders Meet on Political Crisi

By Derek Kilner
Nairobi
05 February 2008

More than 300 Kenyan business leaders are offering their support for former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan's mediation¹ effort in the country's political crisis.  During a meeting in Nairobi, the group called for the government and opposition² to take steps to reduce violence and insecurity that has severely³ damaged Kenya's economic performance since a disputed presidential election in late December.  Derek Kilner reports for VOA from Nairobi.

As negotiations⁴ between representatives of President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga continued in Kenya's capital, more than 300 executives from Kenya's business community gathered to discuss a response to the continuing violence that has plagued the country since December 27 elections.

Following the forum⁵, Michael Joseph, CEO of Kenya's leading mobile phone provider Safaricom, read a statement from the business leaders pledging support for the mediation effort led by Mr. Annan.

"The forum reiterated⁶ that there was no option for the talks to fail and pledged 105 percent support towards your team," he said.  "Recognizing the strategic position of Kenya as a business hub, the business community demand the immediate⁷ securing of all transport networks in order to ease the movement of goods and persons."

The widespread violence set off by the December 27 election, which the opposition says was rigged, has done significant damage to an economy that enjoyed close to seven percent growth last year, according to government estimates.

Kenya Association of Manufacturers Chairman Steven Smith described some estimates of the damage suffered by the economy so far.

"We have roughly 49,000 jobs that have been lost when you look at tourism and other businesses," he noted⁸.  "We have manufacturing in the month of January that was impacted about 40 percent.  When we look at tourism at the coast there used to be 34,000 people there, last week we had about 1,900 in a week."

Insecurity on Kenya's roads has been a particular concern, especially with Kenya's role as a regional economic hub.  Smith said about 70 trucks and 300 minibuses had already been destroyed.  Many more vehicles have canceled trips.

Mr. Annan described the important role the business community can play in helping⁹ to bring about a solution.

"It is important for all of us to realize that this is not an issue for political leaders alone.  Each and every one of us has a role to play," he said.  "I think what you have done today is a powerful message that you are sending to Kenyans, to your workers."

Negotiations between the government and opposition continue, with discussion focusing on finding a political solution.

Meanwhile, the Kenya Red Cross raised its estimates of the number of people killed in post-election violence to 1,000 and the total number displaced to 300,000.

1 mediation   

n.调解

参考例句：

• The dispute was settled by mediation of the third country. 这场争端通过第三国的斡旋而得以解决。
• The dispute was settled by mediation. 经调解使争端得以解决。

2 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

3 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

4 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

5 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。

6 reiterated   

反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• "Well, I want to know about it,'she reiterated. “嗯，我一定要知道你的休假日期，"她重复说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Some twenty-two years later President Polk reiterated and elaborated upon these principles. 大约二十二年之后，波尔克总统重申这些原则并且刻意阐释一番。

7 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

8 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。

9 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。