2007年VOA标准英语-AGOA Forum Highlights US-African Trade

By Naomi Schwarz
Dakar
18 July 2007

The theme of the sixth forum¹ on the African Growth and Opportunity Act that opens Wednesday Ghana's capital, is "As trade grows, Africa prospers²." The U.S. initiative allows allows African countries that undertake economic reforms to gain duty free access to the U.S. market. But Naomi Schwarz reports from VOA's regional bureau in Dakar, some say the agreement has changed little in the trade relationship between the U.S. and Africa.

U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Africa, Middle East and South Asia Holly³ Vineyard says imports to the United States from sub-Saharan Africa have increased by more than 150 percent during the past six years.

Vineyard attributes the rise, in part, to the African Growth and Opportunity Act, a U.S. law signed by President Bill Clinton in 2000 to encourage trade between the U.S. and sub-Saharan Africa.

Vineyard says trade ministers from countries across the continent are meeting with representatives from the United States on Wednesday and Thursday in Ghana to discuss in detail how to improve trade conditions on the continent.

"We are hopeful that by having these kind of practical how-to discussions, that it will enable and empower more policy makers⁴ to be able to deal with these issues; it will create greater awareness⁵ amongst the private sector⁶ and civil society about how to help those companies improve their ability to get into the U.S. market," she said.

Vineyard points out that topics for discussion will include enhancing production capacity, creating access to financing, developing infrastructure⁷, and working on quality control.

The largest category of African exports to the U.S. is by far oil and petroleum⁸ products, leading some African activists⁹ to criticize AGOA as not really benefiting most Africans.

The program head at the Ghana-based non-governmental organization Third World Network Africa, Tetteh Hormeku, says AGOA has not changed the basic structure of trade between the United States and Africa where African countries export commodities and the U.S. sells processed goods back to them.

"If you are looking at whether or not AGOA has really helped restructure African economies, which by and large are dependent on agricultural products, then AGOA has not helped," he said.

Hormeku notes also that most of the oil produced in Africa is extracted by foreign companies. He says AGOA requirements forbid African governments from subsidizing farmers even though the U.S. government subsidizes its own agricultural sector.

But Dinah Koney, a small businesswoman in Ghana whose company makes and sells wood handicrafts in Ghana and overseas, says she sees hope in the Forum's theme, "As trade grows, Africa prospers."

"As our products are able to sell on the American market then we tend to employ more people back home to do the production," she said. "And these people also have families that they care for, so there is that flow that people are able to take care of their families and it helps Africa in general."

Koney says African companies need to produce at greater capacity in order to take advantage of AGOA's incentives¹⁰.

"You should be able to get your products to them in good time, the quality should be the same," she said. "But if you are going to take about three months to produce an order then it does not make sense. It is not profitable for them. Then they tend to look outside Africa."

Currently 39 countries in sub-Saharan Africa meet the conditions to qualify for special treatment under AGOA.

1 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

2 prospers   

v.成功，兴旺( prosper的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Whatever prospers my business is welcome. 凡使我生意兴隆者皆竭诚欢迎。 来自辞典例句
• Whatever prospers my business is good. 任何使我生意兴隆的都是好的。 来自辞典例句

3 holly   

n.[植]冬青属灌木

参考例句：

• I recently acquired some wood from a holly tree.最近我从一棵冬青树上弄了些木料。
• People often decorate their houses with holly at Christmas.人们总是在圣诞节时用冬青来装饰房屋。

4 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

6 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。

7 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

8 petroleum   

n.原油，石油

参考例句：

• The Government of Iran advanced the price of petroleum last week.上星期伊朗政府提高了石油价格。
• The purpose of oil refinery is to refine crude petroleum.炼油厂的主要工作是提炼原油。

9 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 incentives   

激励某人做某事的事物( incentive的名词复数 )； 刺激； 诱因； 动机

参考例句：

• tax incentives to encourage savings 鼓励储蓄的税收措施
• Furthermore, subsidies provide incentives only for investments in equipment. 更有甚者，提供津贴仅是为鼓励增添设备的投资。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法