VOA标准英语2009年-No Winner for Africa Governance Prize

By Selah Hennessy
London
19 October 2009

Sudanese Businessman Mo Ibrahim has announced he will not be awarding a multi-million-dollar award for good governance in Africa this year. Ibrahim told reporters he meant no disrespect to those former leaders who were considered for the award. 

 
Ketumile Masire, former President of Botswana speaks at a press conference in London, 19 Oct 2009
Former Botswana president Ketumile Masire announced the results for the Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership at a news conference in London.

"This year the prize committee has considered some credible¹ candidates," he said.  "However after in-depth review, the prize committee could not select a winner."

The award is intended for a former African leader who governed honestly and democratically within their countries constitution and left power within the last three years.

"I made clear at the beginning, when we started our foundation, that there may be years where no winner is chosen, and this is such a year," said billionaire Sudanese businessman Mo Ibrahim, who heads the foundation that awards the prize.

He said the decision should not be seen as a sign of disrespect and described some of the candidates as personal friends.

Former South African President Thabo Mbeki and ex-Ghanaian President John Kufuor were thought to be front runners for the award. 

The prize committee is a group of eminent² former world leaders and several Nobel prizewinners, including former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.  The committee makes its decision independently of the Mo Ibrahim foundation and no details were given about how or why they decided³ not to award the prize this year.

Former Ireland President Mary Robinson said even if the prize were intended for a non-African leader, its possible no recipient⁴ would have been chosen.

"If we did have a similar prize for European leaders or leaders in other regions, we would not necessarily have so many [who] would be getting a big prize," she said.

On a British media website, people from around the world have been writing in to give their opinion on the decision not to award the prize this year.  Many have expressed dismay. 

One correspondent from Botswana says Africa needs to search for its own form of democracy.  Another says that Ibrahim's decision not to give the prize highlights the fact that African democracies are failing.  

Dianne Abbot, a British Parliament member, says perhaps the boundaries of the award should be changed in order to highlight the positive news in Africa.

"Maybe they should have a broader criteria⁵ going forward, because there are so many good things and so many good leaders in Africa that don't necessarily fit the tight specification⁶ of this prize," said Abbot.

She says the future is bright for many African leaders, especially for a new generation of female politicians.

"They are really looking at a past generation.  I think there is a rising generation of African leadership, particularly the women, that is doing very well and maybe ought to be acknowledged," added Abbot.

The two past winners of Mo Ibrahim Prize are former Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano and Botswana's ex-president Festus Gontebanye Mogae.

Winners receive $5-million over 10 years and $200,000 annually⁷ for the rest of their lives.

1 credible   

adj.可信任的，可靠的

参考例句：

• The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
• Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？

2 eminent   

adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的

参考例句：

• We are expecting the arrival of an eminent scientist.我们正期待一位著名科学家的来访。
• He is an eminent citizen of China.他是一个杰出的中国公民。

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 recipient   

a.接受的,感受性强的 n.接受者,感受者,容器

参考例句：

• Please check that you have a valid email certificate for each recipient. 请检查是否对每个接收者都有有效的电子邮件证书。
• Colombia is the biggest U . S aid recipient in Latin America. 哥伦比亚是美国在拉丁美洲最大的援助对象。

5 criteria   

n.标准

参考例句：

• The main criterion is value for money.主要的标准是钱要用得划算。
• There are strict criteria for inclusion in the competition.参赛的标准很严格。

6 specification   

n.详述；[常pl.]规格，说明书，规范

参考例句：

• I want to know his specification of details.我想知道他对细节的详述。
• Examination confirmed that the quality of the products was up to specification.经检查，产品质量合格。

7 annually   

adv.一年一次，每年

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。