VOA标准英语2013--Is Investing in Africa a Good Bet?
时间:2019-01-13 作者:英语课 分类:VOA标准英语2013年(一月)
Is Investing in Africa a Good Bet?
Many sub-Saharan countries have had sustained economic growth despite the global recession. But conflict, political instability and weather extremes in some areas may keep investors 2 away. At the World Economic Forum 3 in Davos, Switzerland, African leaders and others talked about what’s being done to make the continent more attractive to investors.
From the start, those on the panel questioned the title, De-risking Africa. South African president Jacob Zuma said, “I’ve been questioning myself about the topic. De-risking Africa. Is Africa risky 4 more than any other region of the world? Somebody will have to explain to me because it looks like there’s a perception about Africa which needs to be dealt with.”
Mr. Zuma said that he takes issue with that perception, adding that many African leaders have taken measures to ensure stability in their countries.
“African leaders have collectively come together to do things that [are] going to make Africa to move forward. We have collectively dealt with the issue of democracy in the continent of Africa. We are entrenching 5 democratic rule. We have taken a decision to grow our infrastructure 6; to grow our intra-trade. We are moving to integrate the five economic regions in the continent,” he said.
Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan agreed that overall, the continent has become much more stable politically and economically.
“Before this time, the growth rate has been stagnant 7, just as Zuma said. But over the period the growth rate of a number of African countries is significantly above the world average. Countries like, of course, Ethiopia, Ghana, Niger, Liberia, though they are small economies. But in terms of growth it’s quite significant. That shows a focus and a promise,” he said.
Mr. Jonathan was asked whether Nigeria is vulnerable to global economic shocks because it relies so heavily on one commodity – oil.
“Any country that depends on one major commodity – it’s a big risk because anything that affects the oil production or the global oil price – it affects us. Of course that is one aspect. And that is why we are looking to different areas,” he said.
These include agriculture and minerals.
“We have the potential,” he said.
He added that the opportunity for Nigeria to diversify 8 its economy is due to political stability after years of political turmoil 9, including military rule.
Sunil Bharti Mittal, president and CEO of the Indian firm Bharti Enterprises and co-chair of the India-Africa Business Council, took part in the discussion. His company provides mobile telecommunication 10 services.
“I think the African continent and most of the nations welcome foreign investment. When I moved in three years back, I was amazed at the welcome we received in every country, including Nigeria. In Nigeria of late we see a lot of stress in the upper north, where Boko Haram had been targeting cell sites, switching centers. And the support that we have received from the government has been tremendous. Security has been beefed up. People have been reassured 11, especially foreigners who are working there. And that’s what counts in the end,” he said.
Mittal said that it only took about 80 days to get a mobile operation up and running in Rwanda.
“Will Africa have issues from time to time which will scare investors, which will worry investors? That’s a fact of life. There are some pockets – a new one developing in Mali now, upper Nigeria, some of the parts of Congo and the northwestern border. Issues will be there. But investors go with their eyes open. The opportunity is big. The prize to be won in the end is very big and the growth is there. At the end of the day, all emerging markets offer growth. But today really the last bastion of big growth is the African continent,” he said.
Among those concerned about security in Africa is Louise Arbour, head of the International Crisis Group and former chief prosecutor 12 of the International Criminal Tribunals for the Former Yugoslavia and Rwanda. She said that despite Africa’s economic growth, many leaders and regional economic groups are devoting more of their time and attention to resolving conflict. Those driving factors include competition for resources, organized crime, radical 13 Islamist militias 14 and piracy 15 off the Somali coast and in the Gulf 16 of Guinea.
“Behind these ostensible 17, sort of, conflict drivers I think there’s a commonality of issues that the continent still is struggling to address. I think the first one is issues of governance. Most importantly, political and economic exclusion 18. And finally, still very weak institutions. So to varying degrees, in varying countries, these underlying 19 issues, I think, continue to pose a very, very serious challenge,” she said.
The company SABMiller has been operating breweries 20 in South Africa for more than a hundred years. And since the end of apartheid in 1994, it has branched out to other African countries.
Chairman Graham Mackay said, “In my perspective, it’s not so much a question of de-risking. It’s taking the brakes off what is already remarkable 21 economic progress by removing some of the bottlenecks 22. I don’t know of any part of Africa where we could have invested because we thought there was demand and didn’t for risk factors. We were the first investor 1 into South Sudan, I think, of any kind. Great big brewery 23 there next to Juba just after independence.”
He said that the South Sudan brewery has more than doubled in size since it opened. Mackay also said there are hundreds of millions of people coming into Africa’s cash economy, who are looking for quality goods.
“We don’t hold back on investment because of risk factors. We invest as we think the markets can grow,” he said.
But there are ongoing 24 issues threatening stability in some regions, such as the conflict in Mali. Nigerian president Jonathan says the terrorists and extremists must be contained and he thanks France for its intervention 25. International Crisis Group’s Louise Arbour says the situation in Mali has already destabilized the region and fears militarization could take on a life of its own.
In South Africa, President Zuma acknowledged that violent labor 26 disputes and strikes have been a problem, both socially and economically. But he said those issues are being addressed through better bargaining agreements.
Rwandan president Paul Kagame, who was in the audience, said there is often a misperception about Africa because its history is written by non-Africans. He said that it’s time for Africans to write their own story.
- 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。
- a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
- a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会
- 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。
- It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险,但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
- He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。
- It has the same effect of entrenching the elite in corrupt economies. 它有着令精英陷入腐败经济的相同效应。 来自互联网
- This in entrenching on other domains. 这是在侵占别人的领土。 来自互联网
- We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
- We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设,发展各类群众文化。
- Due to low investment,industrial output has remained stagnant.由于投资少,工业生产一直停滞不前。
- Their national economy is stagnant.他们的国家经济停滞不前。
- Our company is trying to diversify.我们公司正力图往多样化方面发展。
- Hills and woods diversify the landscape.山陵和树木点缀景色。
- His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
- The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。
- Telecommunication is an industry of service.电信业是一个服务型的行业。
- I only care about the telecommunication quality and the charge.我只关心通信质量和资费两个方面。
- The captain's confidence during the storm reassured the passengers. 在风暴中船长的信念使旅客们恢复了信心。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
- The doctor reassured the old lady. 医生叫那位老妇人放心。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。
- The prosecutor would tear your testimony to pieces.检查官会把你的证言驳得体无完肤。
- The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
- She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。
- The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
- The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网
- The government has already adopted effective measures against piracy.政府已采取有效措施惩治盗版行为。
- They made the place a notorious centre of piracy.他们把这地方变成了臭名昭著的海盗中心。
- The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
- There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。
- The ostensible reason wasn't the real reason.表面上的理由并不是真正的理由。
- He resigned secretaryship on the ostensible ground of health.他借口身体不好,辞去书记的职务。
- Don't revise a few topics to the exclusion of all others.不要修改少数论题以致排除所有其他的。
- He plays golf to the exclusion of all other sports.他专打高尔夫球,其他运动一概不参加。
- The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。
- This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。
- In some cases, this is desirable, but most breweries prefer lighter-type beers. 在一些情况下,这是很理想的,但是大多数啤酒厂更倾向于生产酒度较低的啤酒。
- Currently, there are 58 breweries producing Snow Beeracross the country. 目前,全国共有58个雪花啤酒厂。
- She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
- These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。
- Roadworks are causing bottlenecks in the city centre. 道路施工导致市中心交通阻塞。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- At five o'clock in the afternoon the city streets are a series of bottlenecks. 下午五点市中心的街道就成了拥挤不堪的窄路。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
- The brewery had 25 heavy horses delivering beer in London.啤酒厂有25匹高头大马在伦敦城中运送啤酒。
- When business was good,the brewery employed 20 people.在生意好的时候,这家酿造厂曾经雇佣过20人。
- The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
- The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。
- The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
- Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。