VOA常速英语2007年-UN Says Saudis Should Lead in Stabilization of

By Barbara Schoetzau
New York
17 December 2007

The United Nations special envoy¹ for Somalia, Ahmed Ould Abdallah, says Saudi Arabia should take the lead in efforts to stabilize² Somalia. From VOA's New York Bureau, correspondent Barbara Schoetzau has the story.

After 17 years and no success, Ould-Abdallah says it is time for the international community and the United Nations to either take a new approach or, essentially³, admit defeat and withdraw from Somalia.

The status quo, Ould-Abdallah says, may actually be adding to the suffering in Somalia, which UN officials call the worst humanitarian⁴ crisis in the world today.

But Ould-Abdallah says the United Nations should launch a diplomatic initiative to mobilize a consensus⁵ in the country. He also recommends an initiative to strengthen an under-funded African Union peacekeeping force.

The AU force is supposed to be comprised of 8,000 troops but so far only 1,600 Ugandan troops are on the ground. Ould-Abdallah says Saudi Arabia has the "moral authority" to oversee⁶ such initiatives, arranging technical and financial support, but not necessarily providing troops.

"As time is pressing, this new peace presence has become a must. For this, Saudi Arabia, the custodian⁷ of the two Moslem⁸ holiest sites and a close neighbor with many Somali refugees, more than 350,000, should be invited to play a leading role. Due to its successful contribution to peace in previous conflicts, Saudi Arabia can help."

Ould-Abdallah says the conflict becomes more dangerous to regional stability every day as young people, who make up two-thirds of Somalia's population, have no possibility of any work other than joining the conflict.

Ould-Abdallah made his comments in a briefing to the Security Council. A number of members support the idea of a peacekeeping mission, but the United Nations is stretched thin with a force of up to 26,000 troops scheduled to deploy⁹ to Darfur in January.

1 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

2 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。

3 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

4 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

5 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

6 oversee   

vt.监督，管理

参考例句：

• Soldiers oversee the food handouts.士兵们看管着救济食品。
• Use a surveyor or architect to oversee and inspect the different stages of the work.请一位房产检视员或建筑师来监督并检查不同阶段的工作。

7 custodian   

n.保管人，监护人；公共建筑看守

参考例句：

• Benitez believes his custodian is among the top five in world football.贝尼特斯坚信他的门将是当今足坛最出色的五人之一。
• When his father died his uncle became his legal custodian.他父亲死后，他叔叔成了他的法定监护人。

8 Moslem   

n.回教徒，穆罕默德信徒；adj.回教徒的，回教的

参考例句：

• Moslem women used to veil their faces before going into public.信回教的妇女出门之前往往用面纱把脸遮起来。
• If possible every Moslem must make the pilgrimage to Mecca once in his life.如有可能，每个回教徒一生中必须去麦加朝觐一次。

9 deploy   

v.（军）散开成战斗队形，布置，展开

参考例句：

• The infantry began to deploy at dawn.步兵黎明时开始进入战斗位置。
• The president said he had no intention of deploying ground troops.总统称并不打算部署地面部队。