VOA标准英语2012--Economic Downturn Points to Uncertain Future in Afghanistan

Economic Downturn Points to Uncertain Future in Afghanistan

Kabul’s upscale Wazir Akhbar Khan district has long been home to foreign aid groups and the country’s wealthiest officials. Now, it is slowly emptying, as foreigners close down their operations and Afghans look for safer investments.

Kabul’s less affluent¹ also are feeling the effects of the economic exodus².

Many truck drivers like Mehrab Gul have made their living delivering flour and cement from neighboring Pakistan and Iran. He says business has been dropping.

“Orders have decreased a lot, we used to drive six rounds of cement in a month from Pakistan, nowadays we bring three,” said Gul.

The truck drivers also complain about payoffs to police. Official corruption³ is crippling investor⁴ confidence and businessmen are taking their cash and leaving the country - some $4.5 billion in 2011. 

Najeebullah Akhtary, the president of the money exchange union in Kabul, says if the international community leaves, Afghanistan will fall to civil war.

“Businessmen are escaping day by day. And the matter of what happens in 2014 has a negative impact on the market,” said Akhtary.

After a decade of war, many businesses depend on foreign contracts. The scheduled troop departure is a worry for businessmen like Zahir Hakimzada.

“After 2014 the foreign forces will leave Afghanistan - where will these companies go? For example, we have 5-6 very big transport companies. There will be less and less supply and few supply lines. Where should these vehicles go? The Afghan government doesn’t have a plan for transition,” said Hakimzada. 

Many Afghans are also worried about greater insecurity after foreign troops leave. Business owners travel with bodyguards⁵ - even for trips inside the capital. Their worry: kidnapping.

While Kabul police say they have cracked down on the problem, many say it is merely under-reported by the media. 

Even businesses that are growing are worried about the future. After six years of operation, this Coca Cola bottling plant is still without reliable electricity. Instead, the factory depends on a generator⁶ that consumes thousands of liters of fuel each day - a temporary fix that seems more permanent with each passing year. 

1 affluent   

adj.富裕的，富有的，丰富的，富饶的

参考例句：

• He hails from an affluent background.他出身于一个富有的家庭。
• His parents were very affluent.他的父母很富裕。

2 exodus   

v.大批离去，成群外出

参考例句：

• The medical system is facing collapse because of an exodus of doctors.由于医生大批离去，医疗系统面临崩溃。
• Man's great challenge at this moment is to prevent his exodus from this planet.人在当前所遇到的最大挑战，就是要防止人从这个星球上消失。

3 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。

4 investor   

n.投资者，投资人

参考例句：

• My nephew is a cautious investor.我侄子是个小心谨慎的投资者。
• The investor believes that his investment will pay off handsomely soon.这个投资者相信他的投资不久会有相当大的收益。

5 bodyguards   

n.保镖，卫士，警卫员( bodyguard的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Brooks came to Jim's office accompanied—like always—by his two bodyguards. 和往常一样，在两名保镖的陪同下，布鲁克斯去吉姆的办公室。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Three of his bodyguards were injured in the attack. 在这次袭击事件中，他有3名保镖受了伤。 来自辞典例句

6 generator   

n.发电机，发生器

参考例句：

• All the while the giant generator poured out its power.巨大的发电机一刻不停地发出电力。
• This is an alternating current generator.这是一台交流发电机。