VOA标准英语2009年-Clinton's Africa Trip Meant to Underscore

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is back in the United States after a seven-nation tour of Africa.

Secretary Clinton's Africa trip was meant to follow-up on the policies outlined in President Barack Obama's speech before Ghana's parliament last month.

"At every stop, we have emphasized the importance of fulfilling what President Obama said in his historic speech in Ghana: The future of Africa is up to the Africans," she said.
　
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, left, applauds along with prime minister Cape¹ Verde Jose Maria Neves, right in Sal on, 14 Aug 2009

From Kenya to Cape Verde, Clinton spoke² of the link between economic progress and good governance, respect for the rule of law - especially as it relates to gender- and sexual-based violence. She also spoke of Washington's willingness to work with allies to end violence in the oil-rich Niger Delta³ and the Democratic Republic of Congo's troubled Kivu regions.

"This was a very important trip that both President Obama and I wanted to make early in the administration to send a very clear message that the Obama administration is committed to developing an even stronger and closer relationship with, not just the governments, but especially the peoples of Africa," said Clinton.

Secretary Clinton promised continued support for the government in Somalia, called on Kenyan leaders to bring to justice those responsible for electoral violence, and urged the governments of Angola and Nigeria to do more to fight corruption⁴ in the oil sector⁵.

She praised the government of Cap Verde for spending wisely money it is receiving from the U.S. Millennium⁶ Challenge Account.

Secretary Clinton said the United States and South Africa will work more closely to push for reforms in Zimbabwe. She said there should be presidential elections in Angola "in a timely manner" and continued electoral reforms in Liberia and Nigeria before their respective elections in 2011.

"Given the conflicts and the challenges that have often prevented the African people from realizing their full potential, the United States stands ready to be a partner and a friend," she added.

Secretary Clinton met with the presidents of Kenya, South Africa, Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria and Liberia, as well as the Prime Minister of Cape Verde.

"The most important part of this trip are the relationships that we have built, the commitments that we have discussed, the problems that we have honestly explored," said Clinton. "We have not shied away from raising the difficult problems that exist and stand in the way of the people of Africa realizing their potential. And I think that will stand the test of time."

State Department officials traveling with Secretary Clinton say she also discussed the Group of Eight leading industrialized nation's $20-billion food security initiative. That money is in addition to emergency humanitarian⁷ programs, and is meant to fight hunger by enabling small farmers to produce more of their own food by improving productivity.

 

1 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

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 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

4 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

5 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

6 millennium   

n.一千年，千禧年；太平盛世

参考例句：

• The whole world was counting down to the new millennium.全世界都在倒计时迎接新千年的到来。
• We waited as the clock ticked away the last few seconds of the old millennium.我们静候着时钟滴答走过千年的最后几秒钟。

7 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。