VOA常速英语2007年-Togo Politics Enters New Era

By Naomi Schwarz
Dakar
16 November 2007

Politicians in Togo say the West African country has entered a new era, after peaceful elections in which all political parties took part. The leading opposition¹ party ended a decade-plus boycott² of the parliament, and the European Union has pledged an infusion³ of $60 million for the first time since cutting aid to the country in 1993. Naomi Schwarz has more from VOA's regional bureau in Dakar.

Last month's elections were a watershed⁴ moment for Togo, says Robert Dussey, diplomatic council to Togo's president, Faure Gnassingbe. He says, all the actors, even the most radical⁵ in the past, have agreed to work together with the president's party, which is creating a new dynamic.

He says while President Gnassingbe was organizing parliamentary elections, he was unable to implement⁶ his development programs. Now, Dussey says the president can move forward with his plans for economic development and institutional reforms.

And for the first time since 1994, the country's leading opposition party will be involved in the process. They had boycotted⁷ previous legislative⁸ elections because of fears of vote rigging and violence.

The party, the Union of Forces for Change, won 27 seats in the October election.

Gilchrist Olympio, leader of the opposition party, says participating this year was a difficult choice.

"You jump from the frying pan into the flames," he said. "That is all, that this is not much of a choice to you."

Speaking from France, he says there are still problems with Togo's election laws.

"For instance, in the south of Togo, you need 100,000 people for one seat in parliament," he said. "Near to the president's home, it is 10,000."

He says this is why his party won fewer seats than the president's party. The president's party won 50 seats, giving them an absolute majority.

But Olympio says his party decided⁹ it was better to participate in the process and perhaps effect change from within, than to opt¹⁰ out as they had in the past.

Nicolas Lawson, another opposition leader, says it is a very good sign for Togo that politicians from different sides will be working together.

"If right now we have the peace in this country, and we can debate," he said. "Debate about how to build the country, how to have the programs, to have the projects, how we can finance our projects, how we can put our people to work, that is the main thing for me."

And, also for the first time in more than a decade, Togo will have development aid from the European Union at their disposal.

Melo de Sampaio is the head of EU delegation¹¹. He says the elections were the key turning point that convinced the EU to resume aid.

"We believe that President Faure has made very strong efforts and has a very important commitment towards democratization of the country," he said. "So we believe that now channels are open for the continuation of the strengthening our relations and cooperation."

De Sampaio says the EU is finalizing¹² a five-year strategy that will include $175 million-plus of aid.

1 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

2 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

3 infusion   

n.灌输

参考例句：

• Old families need an infusion of new blood from time to time.古老的家族需要不时地注入新鲜血液。
• Careful observation of the infusion site is necessary.必须仔细观察输液部位。

4 watershed   

n.转折点，分水岭，分界线

参考例句：

• Our marriage was at a watershed.我们的婚姻到了一个转折关头。
• It forms the watershed between the two rivers.它成了两条河流的分水岭。

5 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• 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。

6 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。

7 boycotted   

抵制，拒绝参加( boycott的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Athletes from several countries boycotted the Olympic Games. 有好几国的运动员抵制奥林匹克运动会。
• The opposition party earlier boycotted the Diet agenda, demanding Miyaji's resignation. 反对党曾杯葛国会议程，要宫路下台。

8 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

9 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

10 opt   

vi.选择，决定做某事

参考例句：

• They opt for more holiday instead of more pay.他们选择了延长假期而不是增加工资。
• Will individual schools be given the right to opt out of the local school authority?各个学校可能有权选择退出地方教育局吗？

11 delegation   

n.代表团；派遣

参考例句：

• The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
• We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

12 finalizing   

vt.完成（finalize的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• You may edit registered information any time during the finalizing period. 您可以在规定期限内随时编辑修改注册资料。 来自互联网
• Natsun Trimming & Ironing, Finalizing the Perfection. 40南山整烫，完美在此定格。 来自互联网