VOA标准英语2012--Nigerian Minister Vies for Top World Bank Job

Nigerian Minister Vies for Top World Bank Job

Nigeria's candidate

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has long experience at the top levels of the World Bank, where she deals with national leaders and urges action to fight poverty. "This is a challenge for the world, almost one billion people are going to bed hungry," she said.

Okonjo-Iweala is currently Nigeria’s finance minister, and also served as foreign minister. Her career began after an education that included Harvard and MIT. 

She has strongly impressed international economics expert Uri Dadush, a former World Bank colleague. "Tremendous development experience in many parts of the world and has the experience of running the finance ministry¹, and an economics ministry in one of the more arduous² environments of the world," Dadush noted³. "She has been a determined⁴ campaigner against corruption⁵.”

Making tough decisions

As finance minister, Okonjo-Iweala angered many Nigerians by cutting subsidies⁶ in a move that saved the government money but raised the cost of fuel to consumers. She argued the money would be better spent on projects that would cut Nigeria’s high unemployment rate.

Her critics say her long tenure⁷ at the bank makes it less likely that she will bring in new ideas or change the institutional culture. But one development expert says she would offer a strong blend of financial and diplomatic experience. 

And Nancy Birdsall says Okonjo-Iweala has also had practice at making tough decisions. "So she has kind of been through the fire, so she has that experience of how it works at a political and macro level in developing countries," she said.

Birdsall says it is encouraging that Okonjo-Iweala is one of three candidates for World Bank President. 

Non-traditional leaders

Until now, the head of the bank has always been an American, while a European has always led the International Monetary⁸ Fund. 

Last year, Washington backed the appointment of former French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde to head the IMF over an emerging-market candidate. Europeans may now back the U.S. candidate for the top World Bank job. The combined voting strength of U.S. and European nations in each organization make it difficult for a candidate from another country to end the tradition of Western leadership for these institutions -- which have a major impact in the developing world. 

1 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

2 arduous   

adj.艰苦的，费力的，陡峭的

参考例句：

• We must have patience in doing arduous work.我们做艰苦的工作要有耐性。
• The task was more arduous than he had calculated.这项任务比他所估计的要艰巨得多。

3 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

4 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。

5 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

6 subsidies   

n.补贴，津贴，补助金( subsidy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. 欧洲各国农业部长在农业补贴问题上未能打破僵局。
• Agricultural subsidies absorb about half the EU's income. 农业补贴占去了欧盟收入的大约一半。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 tenure   

n.终身职位；任期；(土地)保有权，保有期

参考例句：

• He remained popular throughout his tenure of the office of mayor.他在担任市长的整个任期内都深得民心。
• Land tenure is a leading political issue in many parts of the world.土地的保有权在世界很多地区是主要的政治问题。

8 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。