2007年VOA标准英语-West African Officials Agree on Regional Weapon

By Efam Dovi
Accra
18 February 2007

West African officials have agreed on a set of measures to guide member states of the Economic Community of West African States to control the millions of Small Arms and light weapons circulating in the sub-region. Efam Dovi has more for VOA from Accra.

About 150 officials, representing national commissions, state legislatures, civil society and development partners attended the first international consultative conference in the Ghanian capital, Accra, on the implementation¹ of the ECOWAS Small Arms Program, called ECOSAP.

At the end of the five day meeting, the delegates adopted a set of "standard operational procedures" that will guide the development of common policies throughout member states, to control the millions of small arms and light weapons circulating in West Africa.

Conmany Wesseh, Chairman of the Liberia National Commission on Small Arms, who chaired the closing session, explains further.

"Among other things we talking about how to collect the arms, how to dispose of the arms, how to put into place the appropriate legislation that will ensure that people work within certain guidelines that are legal and what will be determined² as legal and illicit³ handling of arms," said Wesseh.

ECOSAP is a five year program that will provide training, funding and logistical support to National commissions and national organizations working to fight illicit arms trafficking in West Africa.

Wesseh says implementing⁴ the program will not be easy. He says the local population needs to be educated to know and report illegal arms.

"The challenges really are about just the control of arms that we do not produce, that come from outside West Africa," added Wesseh. "There are some production lines, but they are very small. Most of the arms that are circulated in Africa come from countries beyond Africa. They are countries in Europe and America, from Asia and then these arms come in, and then they get into one country and they cross borders that are porous⁵ and because of conflicts they easily flow and keep going. And because of the situation of our young people, many of them being unemployed⁶, they become vulnerable.

Last June, ECOWAS leaders signed the Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons in Abuja, Nigeria, to reduce armed violence in West Africa.

The convention needs to be ratified⁷ by at least nine of the 15 member states in order for it to be legally binding⁸ and effective. Retired⁹ Major General Charles Okae from the ECOWAS Commission urged national governments to show their commitment to the program by ratifying¹⁰ the convention.

"Our approach is one to appeal to them through the ECOWAS presidency¹¹ and a special exercise of undertaking¹² missions to member states to talk to the key institutions like the parliament, like the sub-committee on the defense¹³ and security in parliament, like the judiciary, like civil society organization, to elicit¹⁴ their support in getting these governments to sign this ratification¹⁵ [convention]," said Okae.

So far, only Niger has ratified the convention.

1 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

2 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

3 illicit   

adj.非法的，禁止的，不正当的

参考例句：

• He had an illicit association with Jane.他和简曾有过不正当关系。
• Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year.今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。

4 implementing   

v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句

5 porous   

adj.可渗透的，多孔的

参考例句：

• He added sand to the soil to make it more porous.他往土里掺沙子以提高渗水性能。
• The shell has to be slightly porous to enable oxygen to pass in.外壳不得不有些细小的孔以便能使氧气通过。

6 unemployed   

adj.失业的，没有工作的；未动用的，闲置的

参考例句：

• There are now over four million unemployed workers in this country.这个国家现有四百万失业人员。
• The unemployed hunger for jobs.失业者渴望得到工作。

7 ratified   

v.批准，签认（合约等）( ratify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The treaty was declared invalid because it had not been ratified. 条约没有得到批准，因此被宣布无效。
• The treaty was ratified by all the member states. 这个条约得到了所有成员国的批准。

8 binding   

有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的

参考例句：

• The contract was not signed and has no binding force. 合同没有签署因而没有约束力。
• Both sides have agreed that the arbitration will be binding. 双方都赞同仲裁具有约束力。

9 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

10 ratifying   

v.批准，签认（合约等）( ratify的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• They call their State Assembly a disgrace for ratifying the 35th. 他们把州议会通过的第35号修正案说成是可耻的行为。 来自辞典例句
• The Obama administration, unlike its predecessor, talks of ratifying the test-ban treaty. 该会议五年举办一次，回顾其间发生的事情。 来自互联网

11 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。

12 undertaking   

n.保证，许诺，事业

参考例句：

• He gave her an undertaking that he would pay the money back with in a year.他向她做了一年内还钱的保证。
• He is too timid to venture upon an undertaking.他太胆小，不敢从事任何事业。

13 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。

14 elicit   

v.引出,抽出,引起

参考例句：

• It was designed to elicit the best thinking within the government. 机构的设置是为了在政府内部集思广益。
• Don't try to elicit business secrets from me. I won't tell you anything. 你休想从我这里套问出我们的商业机密, 我什么都不会告诉你的。

15 ratification   

n.批准，认可

参考例句：

• The treaty is awaiting ratification.条约正等待批准。
• The treaty is subject to ratification.此条约经批准后才能生效。