VOA常速英语2007-German Chancellor in Ethiopia for First Leg of A

By Nick Wadhams
Nairobi
03 October 2007

German Chancellor¹ Angela Merkel has arrived in Ethiopia for the first leg of an Africa visit in which she will focus on strengthening business ties, addressing the AIDS pandemic and touring development projects. As Nick Wadhams reports from Nairobi, her visit also raises tough questions about Germany's friendship with governments such as Ethiopia's, that have questionable² human rights records.

Chancellor Merkel, who is on her first visit to sub-Saharan Africa, met with Ethiopia's prime minister and president in the morning and was to inspect a German-funded project meant to help female street children in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

She also planned to deliver a speech before the African Union, which has its headquarters in Addis. The speech comes just a few days after 10 AU peacekeepers were killed in an attack on their base in Sudan's troubled Darfur region. Ms. Merkel was expected to discuss the tragedy with AU leaders

Germany is looking to follow the lead of China, which has embarked³ on a massive program to invest more heavily in Africa.

The first counselor⁴ at Germany's embassy in Ethiopia, Karsten Hoelsdher, says Ms. Merkel's visit to Ethiopia, South Africa and Liberia comes at a crucial time for Germany, now that it holds the rotating presidency⁵ of the Group of Eight industrialized nations.

"In very general terms, there are close relations," said Hoelsdher. "At the moment, we are having the G-Eight presidency, and part of the G-Eight activities is a special focus on Africa and, therefore, we are very much interested in the whole of Africa and Ethiopia is a very important country in that context."

Ms. Merkel is also expected to help lay the groundwork for a summit between African Union and European Union leaders set for December in Portugal. Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe is expected to be there, despite an E.U. travel ban.

Coinciding with the chancellor's visit, a leading German bank will open a branch office in Ethiopia.

Ms. Merkel's bid to strengthen Germany's ties with some African nations - particularly Ethiopia - is raising some tough questions. The government of Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has been accused of human rights abuses, especially in its eastern Ogaden region.

Tuesday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a measure that pressures Ethiopia's leaders to improve their democracy and human rights record or else face travel restrictions⁶ and cuts in security assistance.

1 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

2 questionable   

adj.可疑的，有问题的

参考例句：

• There are still a few questionable points in the case.这个案件还有几个疑点。
• Your argument is based on a set of questionable assumptions.你的论证建立在一套有问题的假设上。

3 embarked   

乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事

参考例句：

• We stood on the pier and watched as they embarked. 我们站在突码头上目送他们登船。
• She embarked on a discourse about the town's origins. 她开始讲本市的起源。

4 counselor   

n.顾问，法律顾问

参考例句：

• The counselor gave us some disinterested advice.顾问给了我们一些无私的忠告。
• Chinese commercial counselor's office in foreign countries.中国驻国外商务参赞处。

5 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

6 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制