IN THE NEWS - Afghanistan Aid Conference

IN THE NEWS - Afghanistan Aid Conference
By Cynthia Kirk

Broadcast: Saturday, April 03, 2004

This is Steve Ember with IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

Nations from around the world agreed this week to give more than eight-thousand-million dollars in development aid to Afghanistan. That amount is to be provided during the next three years. The agreement was announced during a two-day conference in Berlin, Germany. Delegates¹ from more than fifty nations attended the meeting.

In this year alone, Afghanistan will get more than four-thousand-five-hundred-million dollars in aid. The United States is providing almost half of that amount. Reports say the aid would help the Afghan government pay wages to its workers, prepare for national elections and continue rebuilding roads and schools. The United States also offered an additional one-hundred-twenty-three-million dollars to fight the illegal drug trade in Afghanistan.

American Secretary of State Colin Powell attended the conference in Berlin. He praised the progress made by Afghanistan since an American-led attack ousted² the Taliban government in late two-thousand one. Mister Powell said that United States forces would remain in Afghanistan for as long as needed. He urged America's military allies³ to provide more troops and military equipment to fight three threats: the illegal drug trade, private armies and terrorists⁴.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai thanked other countries at the conference for their continued support. He said his country is working to become independent.

Afghanistan is one of the most aid-dependent countries in the world. Reports say it produces just five-percent of all the money collected by the Afghan government. Afghan officials have said that almost twenty-eight-thousand-million dollars is needed during the next seven years for rebuilding and development.

However, studies show that poor security and a lack of foreign aid have slowed rebuilding efforts. Private armies and rebel groups control about one-third of Afghanistan. Most of them are in an area along the border with Pakistan.

Afghanistan is the world's largest producer of opium⁵ from poppy plants. Opium is used to produce the illegal drug heroin⁶. President Karzai described Afghanistan's battle against illegal drugs as a long-term struggle. He said other legal forms of economic activity must replace the drug trade.

This week, Afghanistan and six other countries agreed to cooperate in the fight against illegal drugs. The other six are China, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Conference delegates also discussed security concerns in the months before planned Afghan elections. Officials agreed to send five more military rebuilding teams to improve security. The elections are expected in September. They will be the first democratic elections ever held in Afghanistan.

IN THE NEWS, in VOA Special English, was written by Cynthia Kirk. This is Steve Ember.

1 delegates   

代表，代表团成员( delegate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The conference was attended by delegates from 56 countries. 此次会议有来自56个国家的代表出席。
• Delegates expressed strong opposition to the plans. 代表强烈反对这些计划。

2 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

3 allies   

联盟国，同盟者； 同盟国，同盟者( ally的名词复数 )； 支持者； 盟军

参考例句：

• The allies would fear that they were pawns in a superpower condominium. 这个联盟担心他们会成为超级大国共管的牺牲品。
• A number of the United States' allies had urged him not to take a hasty decision. 美国的一些盟友已力劝他不要急于作决定。

4 terrorists   

n.恐怖主义者，恐怖分子( terrorist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The terrorists have halted their bloody campaign of violence. 恐怖分子已经停止了他们凶残的暴力活动。
• They were finally forced to capitulate to the terrorists' demands. 他们最后被迫屈从恐怖分子的要求。

5 opium   

n.鸦片；adj.鸦片的

参考例句：

• That man gave her a dose of opium.那男人给了她一剂鸦片。
• Opium is classed under the head of narcotic.鸦片是归入麻醉剂一类的东西。

6 heroin   

n.海洛因

参考例句：

• Customs have made their biggest ever seizure of heroin.海关查获了有史以来最大的一批海洛因。
• Heroin has been smuggled out by sea.海洛因已从海上偷运出境。