VOA常速英语2007-New World Bank President Lays Out Private Sector

By Barry Wood
Washington
18 October 2007

World Bank President Robert Zoellick, three months into the job, said Thursday his vision for the development lender is to partner with the private sector¹ to promote growth in developing countries. VOA's Barry Wood has more.

Zoellick told reporters that the bank will engage the private sector in promoting growth. The bank, he said, will actively² promote the development of capital markets in Africa and regional cooperation. It will work with private organizations to develop alternative, non-polluting sources of energy.

A highly regarded former US trade negotiator, diplomat³ and investment banker, Zoellick was brought to the bank in July to restore focus and staff morale⁴. The 185-member nation bank's reputation had suffered during the tumultuous two-year leadership of Paul Wolfowitz, who in his previous job at the US defense⁵ department had been an architect of the American-led war in Iraq.

Zoellick said the World Bank has to change with the times.

"Many people think that our role is just the traditional World Bank from the 60s of project finance and others," said Robert Zoellick. "Our real role is helping⁶ create the markets, the intermediation, the institutions so that these things go on long beyond us."

Zoelllick's initial performance has won high marks from the bank's over 8,000 employees, most of which are based in Washington. Since arriving, Zoellick has traveled extensively in developing countries while also winning rich country backing for fresh contributions to the bank's facility for the poorest countries, IDA, the International Development Association.

"I was pleased that within the first 100 days [on the job] we more than doubled the funding to IDA," he said. "So that's one goal that has been accomplished⁷. We've cut the loan [interest] rates. And I hope by the end of the year I hope we'll have our IDA contributions."

On Sunday Zoellick will participate in his first meeting of the development committee, comprised of ministers from industrial and developing countries. The committee is the bank's policy-making body.

1 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

2 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

3 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

4 morale   

n.道德准则，士气，斗志

参考例句：

• The morale of the enemy troops is sinking lower every day.敌军的士气日益低落。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

5 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

6 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

7 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。