VOA慢速英语2015 美国贸易协定的续保对肯尼亚来说至关重要

AS IT IS 2015-03-13 Renewal 1 of US Trade Deal Important to Kenya 美国贸易协定的续保对肯尼亚来说至关重要

The Bloomberg news service recently published a list of the 20 fastest-growing economies. Bloomberg rated a total of 57 countries. China received the top rating, with the Philippines in second place. Kenya and Nigeria were the only African countries on the list. Unemployment in Kenya remains 2 high. And some industries in the East African nation may be hurt if the United States fails to extend a trade agreement. 

彭博社最近公布了20个发展最快经济体名单，该社对57个国家进行了排名。中国名列前茅，其次是菲律宾，非洲只有肯尼亚和尼日利亚上榜。肯尼亚的失业率仍很高，如果美国未能延长一项贸易协议，非洲东部国家的一些产业可能会受损。

That is the sound of an industrial sewing machine at a textiles factory near the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. The factory belongs to United Aryan Limited. The company was formed 13 years ago. It employs about 10,000 people. Workers earn an average of $150 in wages a month.

这是肯尼亚首都内罗毕附近一家纺织厂的工业缝纫机发出的声音，该工厂属于联合雅利安有限公司，这家公司成立于13年前，雇佣了大约一万人，工人们平均每月薪水150美元。

United Aryan Limited exports most of the goods it makes. Each month, it sends products worth $100 million to buyers in the United States. 

联合雅利安有限公司大部分产品都用于出口，每月向美国的买主发出价值一亿美元的产品。

The company has been grown partly because of the African Growth and Opportunity Act. The United States Congress approved the act to permit imports of some products from Africa without the payment of duties or taxes. The U.S. trade program is set to end in September.

这家公司的发展部分得益于《非洲增长与机会法案》，美国国会批准了该法案，对从非洲进口的部分商品免税，美国的这项贸易协议将于9月份到期。

Pankaj Bedi is the chairman of United Aryan Limited. He says his company would be severely 3 hurt if the program is not extended.

潘卡吉·贝迪是联合雅利安有限公司的董事长，他说如果不延长该协议，本公司将严重受损。

“It will be disaster. We all have been lobbying, pushing, doing whatever we can. In fact government now is very proactive, even the Kenyan government has been, you know, following through. If it is not there then we are not there. Simple. We’ll lose all the jobs; there will be social, security all kind of disasters happening.”

“这将是一场灾难，我们一直在游说，想尽一切办法。事实上现在政府非常积极，连肯尼亚政府都在努力。如果法案没了，我们就完了，就是这么简单，我们会失去所有工作岗位，然后会发生各种社会和安全灾难。”

Bloomberg predicts Kenya’s economy will grow six percent this year. If it does, it would join China, India, the Philippines and Indonesia as the only economies with a growth rate of five percent or more. But unemployment in Kenya remains high, and 40 percent of Kenyans are very poor.

彭博社预测肯尼亚经济今年将增长6%，一旦如此，该国将能跻身于中国、印度、菲律宾和印尼之列，成为少数几个经济发展在5%及以上的经济体。但肯尼亚的失业率仍很高，有40%的肯尼亚人非常贫困。

In Kenya, political unrest, water shortages and terrorist attacks have all slowed efforts to help the country’s economy. If the trade agreement is not renewed, many Kenyans would suffer.

在肯尼亚，政治动荡、缺水和恐怖袭击一直阻碍了该国经济的发展，如果这项贸易协议到此为止，那么很多肯尼亚人会遭殃。

Aly Khan Satchu is a financial expert. He says the trade agreement is very important to Kenya’s economy.

阿里汗·塞丘是一名金融专家，他说贸易协定对肯尼亚经济来说很重要。

“There’s been an explosion in what is called the EPZ -- Export Processing Zones -- where the government has assisted companies who are predominantly exporting textiles. (It’s been) pretty major and has had a dynamic, positive economic impact in Kenya.”

“在所谓的EPZ，也就是‘出口加工区’都出现了爆发性增长。政府在区内协助以纺织品出口为主的公司。这很重要，它对肯尼亚具有非常活跃、积极的经济影响。”

Words in This Story

textiles – n. materials made from cloth; the businesses that manufacture clothing

duties – n. a tax on imports to a country

proactive – adj. controlling a situation by making things happen or by preparing for future problems

predominantly – adv. being more important, powerful, successful or noticeable than other people or things

dynamic – adj. having or showing a lot of energy; always active or changing