2006年VOA标准英语-Africities Summit Focuses on Implementing Mille

By Cathy Majtenyi
Nairobi
18 September 2006

Thousands of mayors and officials from Africa gathered in Kenya Monday for the opening of the week-long Africities summit, which is to look at how local authorities can best implement¹ the United Nations' millennium² development goals. Cathy Majtenyi attended the opening session in Nairobi and files this report for VOA.

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		Kenyans make their way through narrow streets in the Kibera slum in Nairobi (2005 file photo)

Speakers opening the event noted³ that an increasing number of Africans are moving into urban areas, with more than half of the continent's population expected to live in cities by 2020.

This movement, in turn, puts more and more pressure on water, sanitation⁴, housing, roads, and other systems that in many cases are seriously underdeveloped, speakers said.

U.N.-Habitat's executive director, Anna Tibaijuka, told the gathering⁵ some 72 percent of Africans live in slums, most of which lack basic services and infrastructure⁶. She issued a strong challenge to local governments and their partners to improve the lives of people living in those areas.

"When the majority of African people still find themselves in slum conditions, it poses a serious challenge and draws our attention to the linkage⁷ between human settlements and the goals that the international community committed itself to achieve some six years ago," said Tibaijuka. "For the people of Africa, you are the closest institution that mediates⁸ the bulk of their every day lives. Indeed, you are the ultimate custodians⁹ of the Millennium Development Goals. Achieving the MDGs in Africa requires, therefore, local governments and the key stakeholders to take the challenge of urbanization more seriously."

The summit, organized by the pan-African body Municipal Development Partnership¹⁰ and other groups, is expected to bring together some 5,000 delegates to discuss problems in African cities such as poverty, crime, and inadequate¹¹ shelter.

Discussions are expected to focus on devolving power from central governments to local councils and how to better fund municipalities.

Kenyan minister for local government, Musikari Kombo, urged the gathering to look for creative ways to deal with the continent's growing urbanization trend. "One such practice, which most African countries need to appreciate, is the creation of more cities in the rural settings instead of encouraging the growth of megacities," he said.

Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki described how his government plans to tackle the problem of rapid expansion of the capital Nairobi and other urban centers in Kenya, beginning with the election of mayors and deputy mayors. "We will soon be announcing the establishment of a Nairobi Metropolitan¹² Region Development Board for the proper planning and administration of the city of Nairobi," said Mr. Kibaki. "The board will coordinate¹³ planning, environmental management, enforce compliance¹⁴, and promote the metropolis¹⁵ as a regional hub for investment and services."

The summit is taking place six years after the United Nations unveiled its eight millennium development goals that aim to dramatically reduce poverty, illiteracy¹⁶, disease and food insecurity by 2015.

1 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

2 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。

3 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

4 sanitation   

n.公共卫生，环境卫生，卫生设备

参考例句：

• The location is exceptionally poor,viewed from the sanitation point.从卫生角度来看，这个地段非常糟糕。
• Many illnesses are the result,f inadequate sanitation.许多疾病都来源于不健全的卫生设施。

5 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

6 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• 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。

7 linkage   

n.连接；环节

参考例句：

• In their monographic treatment of linkage,they have emphasized this especially.他们在论连锁的专题文章中特别强调了这点。
• Occasionally,problems with block inheritance or linkage are encountered.有时会遇到区段遗传或连锁问题。

8 mediates   

调停，调解，斡旋( mediate的第三人称单数 )； 居间促成； 影响…的发生； 使…可能发生

参考例句：

• We therefore investigated whether hypercoagulability mediates a beneficial effect during denovo atherogenesis. 因此我们研究了高凝在原位动脉粥样硬化形成中是否介导了有益的作用。
• Not happy when the mood that how mediates oneself? 不开心的时候怎样调解自己的情绪？

9 custodians   

n.看守人，保管人( custodian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• If we aren't good custodians for our planet, what right do we have to be here? 如果我们作为自己星球的管理者不称职我们还有什么理由留在这里？ 来自电影对白
• Custodians primarily responsible for the inspection of vehicles, access, custody. 保管员主要负责车辆的验收、出入、保管。 来自互联网

10 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

11 inadequate   

adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的

参考例句：

• The supply is inadequate to meet the demand.供不应求。
• She was inadequate to the demands that were made on her.她还无力满足对她提出的各项要求。

12 metropolitan   

adj.大城市的，大都会的

参考例句：

• Metropolitan buildings become taller than ever.大城市的建筑变得比以前更高。
• Metropolitan residents are used to fast rhythm.大都市的居民习惯于快节奏。

13 coordinate   

adj.同等的，协调的；n.同等者；vt.协作，协调

参考例句：

• You must coordinate what you said with what you did.你必须使你的言行一致。
• Maybe we can coordinate the relation of them.或许我们可以调和他们之间的关系。

14 compliance   

n.顺从；服从；附和；屈从

参考例句：

• I was surprised by his compliance with these terms.我对他竟然依从了这些条件而感到吃惊。
• She gave up the idea in compliance with his desire.她顺从他的愿望而放弃自己的主意。

15 metropolis   

n.首府；大城市

参考例句：

• Shanghai is a metropolis in China.上海是中国的大都市。
• He was dazzled by the gaiety and splendour of the metropolis.大都市的花花世界使他感到眼花缭乱。

16 illiteracy   

n.文盲

参考例句：

• It is encouraging to read that illiteracy is declining.从读报中了解文盲情况正在好转，这是令人鼓舞的。
• We must do away with illiteracy.我们必须扫除文盲。