VOA标准英语2008年-UN: West African Drug Trafficking Threatens Sta

A senior U.N. official says heavy trafficking of narcotics¹ through West Africa into Europe is threatening the lives, livelihoods² and stability of the region. The official says the problem of drug trafficking is competing with humanitarian³ and developmental issues in west African countries suffering from heavy flooding. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from Geneva.

The U.N. Organization Against Drugs and Crimes reports there has been a large increase in the trafficking of narcotics by Latin American drug cartels across the West African region.

It says up to 27 percent of the cocaine⁴ used in Europe and the Gulf⁵ transits⁶ through West African countries. This illegal trade brings in about $1.8 billion a year.

Herve Ludovic de Lys is head of the Organization for the Coordination⁷ of Humanitarian Assistance regional office for west Africa. He says drug trafficking in itself is not a threat to the humanitarian community, but it could develop into a major humanitarian concern.

"This is of concern to us because west Africa is just emerging from a period when we had very violent conflicts in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire. And, we as humanitarians⁸ are very concerned because drug trafficking could fuel conflicts, could bring back weapons and could generate new concerns," he said.

De Lys notes protracted⁹ low-intensity conflicts are going on in northern Niger and to a lesser¹⁰ extent in northern Mali. He says fundamentalist Islamic groups allegedly are present in Mauritania and stirring up trouble. He says Ivory Coast is stable, but could easily relapse into conflict.

He says there is also the nagging¹¹ issue of Guinea Conakry, which has been unstable¹² since last year. He says anything could upset the fragile situations in these countries.

"You remember the Sierra Leone and Liberia? The conflicts were fueled by diamond trafficking. Our concern as humanitarians is that conflicts could now be fueled by other forms of illegal commodities and narcotics are obviously very profitable and very easy things to move around the region," he said.

De Lys says there is some evidence that drug addiction¹³ in west Africa is growing. He says it often happens that people who ship narcotics become users themselves.

He says criminal organizations have a lot of money to throw around. He warns many people in west African countries are likely to be tempted¹⁴ to engage in narcotics trafficking if the international community fails to support critical emergency needs and developmental programs.

 

 

1 narcotics   

n.麻醉药( narcotic的名词复数 )；毒品；毒

参考例句：

• The use of narcotics by teenagers is a problem in many countries. 青少年服用麻醉药在许多国家中都是一个问题。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Police shook down the club, looking for narcotics. 警方彻底搜查了这个俱乐部，寻找麻醉品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 livelihoods   

生计，谋生之道( livelihood的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• First came the earliest individualistic pioneers who depended on hunting and fishing for their livelihoods. 走在最前面的是早期的个人主义先驱者，他们靠狩猎捕鱼为生。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• With little influence over policies, their traditional livelihoods are threatened. 因为马赛族人对政策的影响力太小，他们的传统生计受到了威胁。

3 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。

4 cocaine   

n.可卡因，古柯碱（用作局部麻醉剂）

参考例句：

• That young man is a cocaine addict.那个年轻人吸食可卡因成瘾。
• Don't have cocaine abusively.不可滥服古柯碱。

5 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

6 transits   

通过（transit的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The anomalistic year is the time between successive transits of the Earth through the perihelion. 近点年是地球连续两次通过近日点之间的时间。
• Paradigm study gradually transits to exemplification study in civil society theory. 当前我国的市民社会理论正逐步从范式研究转向范例研究。

7 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。

8 humanitarians   

n.慈善家( humanitarian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Finally, humanitarians saw it as a means of helping to feed the hungry of the world. 人道主义者把这一计划看成是为世界上那些忍饥挨饿的人提供粮食的一项措施。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• All humanitarians fought against slavery. 所有人道主义者都为反对奴隶制而斗争过。 来自互联网

9 protracted   

adj.拖延的；延长的v.拖延“protract”的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The war was protracted for four years. 战争拖延了四年。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We won victory through protracted struggle. 经过长期的斗争，我们取得了胜利。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 lesser   

adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地

参考例句：

• Kept some of the lesser players out.不让那些次要的球员参加联赛。
• She has also been affected,but to a lesser degree.她也受到波及，但程度较轻。

11 nagging   

adj.唠叨的，挑剔的；使人不得安宁的v.不断地挑剔或批评（某人）( nag的现在分词 )；不断地烦扰或伤害（某人）；无休止地抱怨；不断指责

参考例句：

• Stop nagging—I'll do it as soon as I can. 别唠叨了—我会尽快做的。
• I've got a nagging pain in my lower back. 我后背下方老是疼。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 unstable   

adj.不稳定的，易变的

参考例句：

• This bookcase is too unstable to hold so many books.这书橱很不结实，装不了这么多书。
• The patient's condition was unstable.那患者的病情不稳定。

13 addiction   

n.上瘾入迷，嗜好

参考例句：

• He stole money from his parents to feed his addiction.他从父母那儿偷钱以满足自己的嗜好。
• Areas of drug dealing are hellholes of addiction,poverty and murder.贩卖毒品的地区往往是吸毒上瘾、贫困和发生谋杀的地方。

14 tempted   

v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词）

参考例句：

• I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚，但还是没开口。
• I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。