VOA慢速英語:African Union Pushing for More Intercontinental Trade

倉促發(fā)布，尚未校對，請注意甄別。

From VOA Learning English, this is the Economics Report.

這里是美國之音慢速英語經(jīng)濟報道。

The African Union has held countless meetings and conferences on how to increase trade between African countries, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) has organized similar gatherings. Yet these efforts have failed to lead to a increase in intra-Africa trade.

非洲聯(lián)盟就如何提高非洲國家之間的貿(mào)易召開了無數(shù)次會議，聯(lián)合國非洲經(jīng)濟委員會也組織過類似的活動。然而這些努力都未能增加非洲內(nèi)部貿(mào)易。

Currently, African countries do only 11 percent of their foreign trade with other countries on the continent. By comparison, Asian countries do 50 percent of their trade with Asian countries. Last year, the world bank reported that Africa loses billions of dollars every year because of trade barriers.

目前，非洲國家和非洲大陸其它國家之間的外貿(mào)額僅占到總額的11%。相比之下，亞洲國家和亞洲國家之間的貿(mào)易額占到了總額的50%。去年，世界銀行報告說，非洲每年因為貿(mào)易壁壘損失數(shù)十億美元。

This past July, a U.N. report urged African governments to provide more support to private businesses, reduce trade barriers and expand public services. The slow progress makes it difficult for companies to do business in surrounding countries.

過去的這個7月份，聯(lián)合國的一份報告呼吁非洲各國政府為民營企業(yè)提供更大支持，降低貿(mào)易壁壘并擴大公共服務(wù)。進展緩慢使得各公司很難做周邊國家的業(yè)務(wù)。

Jittu Horticulture PLC is Ethiopia's biggest exporter of horticulture products. The company's General Manager Jan Prins says Ethiopia has huge possibilities for trade, but he says there are too many difficulties when attempting to trade with neighboring countries.

Jittu Horticulture PLC是埃塞俄比亞最大的園藝產(chǎn)品出口商。該公司總經(jīng)理普林斯(Jan Prins)表示，埃塞俄比亞的貿(mào)易前景無限，但他表示，當試圖與周邊國家貿(mào)易時困難重重。

"The major challenge is to reach these markets. And it can either be logistic problems like over flooded border areas, bad roads or no roads, trade barriers, political issues or security issues. For Ethiopia it is very difficult to reach the markets in the surrounding countries."

“最大的挑戰(zhàn)是進入這些市場。它可以是一些物流問題，像嚴重被淹過的邊境地區(qū)，爛路甚至沒有路，貿(mào)易壁壘，政治問題或安全問題。對埃塞俄比亞來說，進入周邊國家市場非常困難。”

Problems getting visas, corruption and high transportation costs are some of the barriers companies face when they attempt to trade within the continent. A truck in Africa will travel, on average, just nine kilometers an hour because of the many security or inspection stations. As a result, 40 percent of the cost of product is for transportation.

簽證難、腐敗和高運輸成本是各公司試圖與本大陸進行貿(mào)易時面臨的壁壘。非洲貨車的平均時速為9公里每小時，因為有很多的安全檢查站。其結(jié)果就是，產(chǎn)品40%的成本是運輸成本。

Intra-Africa trade, both imports and exports, totaled $131 billion in 2011. African Union countries have agreed to make the continent a free trade zone by 2017. Treasure Maphanga is the Director of the AU's Trade and Industry Department, she says governments must make that goal of a continental free trade area a reality.

2011年，非洲內(nèi)部包括進口和出口的貿(mào)易總額為1310億美元。非洲聯(lián)盟各國已經(jīng)同意，在2017年前使非洲大陸成為自由貿(mào)易區(qū)。Treasure Maphanga是非洲聯(lián)盟工業(yè)貿(mào)易部負責人。她說，各國必須使得非洲大陸自由貿(mào)易區(qū)的目標成為現(xiàn)實。

"I see that in many countries there is political will that exists at a certain level. Intra-Africa trade does not just depend on one ministry, it does not just depend on the head of state. It depends on the whole government machinery. And coordinating toward a specific goal."

她說，“我發(fā)現(xiàn)很多國家都存在一定層面的政治意愿。非洲內(nèi)部貿(mào)易不只是取決于某一個部門，不只是取決于國家元首，它取決于整個國家機器和朝著特定目標的合作協(xié)調(diào)。”

The African Union will hold another conference on increasing Intra-Africa trade at the end of October.

十月末，非洲聯(lián)盟將就提高非洲內(nèi)部貿(mào)易再次舉行會議。