VOA常速英语2008年-India-Africa Summit Pledges Close Partnership

By Anjana Pasricha
New Delhi
09 April 2008

The first India-Africa summit has concluded with a pledge to work as partners to address economic and development challenges.  As Anjana Pasricha reports from New Delhi, they also vowed¹ to ensure food security for their developing regions, where poverty is widespread.   

African and Indian leaders identified rising oil and food prices as top concerns as they wrapped up a two-day summit in New Delhi.

Tanzanian President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete said the high prices will negate² efforts for faster growth and poverty reduction.        

"Macro-economic stability is being disrupted or threatened and living conditions are being made more difficult," he said.  "We agreed that there is need for intervention³ to mitigate⁴ the impact of high oil and food prices on the economies and peoples of the developing countries."

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh says India and Africa must meet their food needs through domestic production.  He promised to help Africa with technology to increase farm productivity.

India's message at the two-day India-Africa summit was simple: it wants to partner with Africa and aid its development as many countries in the continent try to modernize⁵ their economies.   

African leaders say they are ready for investment and technology from India's more mature economy.  They requested India to "walk the talk" and deliver on its promises.

African Union head Alpha Oumar Konare said the meeting had understood Africa's aspirations⁶ for a partnership⁷ on an equal footing. 

"We do not want to be horses any longer on which people will continue to ride," he said.  "Everyone has to get off our backs.  We will run the race like everyone else.  We have to be ready to run and we are equal partners in the race."  

A "Delhi Declaration" adopted at the end of the summit pledged to strengthen the partnership between India and Africa.  Both sides also said they will work together to protect the interest of developing countries on issues such as trade negotiations⁸, reform of global institutions and climate change.

India hosted the summit with a view to gaining influence in Africa, a resource-rich region where many economies are posting strong growth.

The meeting was attended by leaders of 14 African countries such as Uganda, South Africa, Ethiopia, and Tanzania.

1 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

2 negate   

vt.否定，否认；取消，使无效

参考例句：

• Our actions often negate our principles.我们的行为时常与我们所信奉的原则背道而弛。
• Mass advertising could negate the classical theory of supply and demand.大宗广告可以否定古典经济学的供求理论。

3 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

4 mitigate   

vt.（使）减轻，（使）缓和

参考例句：

• The government is trying to mitigate the effects of inflation.政府正试图缓和通货膨胀的影响。
• Governments should endeavour to mitigate distress.政府应努力缓解贫困问题。

5 modernize   

vt.使现代化，使适应现代的需要

参考例句：

• It was their manifest failure to modernize the country's industries.他们使国家进行工业现代化，明显失败了。
• There is a pressing need to modernise our electoral system.我们的选举制度迫切需要现代化。

6 aspirations   

强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音

参考例句：

• I didn't realize you had political aspirations. 我没有意识到你有政治上的抱负。
• The new treaty embodies the aspirations of most nonaligned countries. 新条约体现了大多数不结盟国家的愿望。

7 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

8 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。