VOA慢速英語:美國捐贈數(shù)百萬美元幫助緩解津巴布韋食品短缺

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 United Nations World Food Program (WFP) has appealed for help in fighting the food crisis in Zimbabwe. The World Food Program says more than 2 million people there are facing hunger or starvation.

聯(lián)合國糧食計劃署呼吁各國幫助抗擊津巴布韋的糧食危機。世界糧食計劃署表示，該國超過200萬人面臨著饑荒。

The United States recently answered the appeal. The U.S. ambassador to Zimbabwe Bruce Wharton announced a $4 million grant to the U.N. agency. The donation brings the total U.S. assistance to fighting hunger in Zimbabwe to $29 million this year.

美國最近回應(yīng)了這一呼吁。美國駐津巴布韋大使布魯斯·沃頓(Bruce Wharton)宣布向該聯(lián)合國機構(gòu)提供一項400萬美元的捐款。這筆捐贈使得今年美國對津巴布韋抗擊饑荒的總援助達到了2900萬美元。

Ambassador Wharton announced the donation earlier this month while on a visit to Matabeleland North province. The World Food Program says Matabeleland North is one of four provinces where the food crisis is severe. However, some Zimbabweans protested the U.S. announcement.

沃頓大使本月早些時候在訪問北馬塔貝萊蘭省時宣布了這項捐贈。世界糧食計劃署表示，北馬塔貝萊蘭省是糧食危機最為嚴重的四個省份之一。然而，一些津巴布韋人對美國的通告提出了抗議。

Robert Tshuma was among the demonstrators during the ambassador's visit. He says the protest was against the financial and travel restrictions Western countries have ordered against President Robert Mugabe and his allies.

羅伯特·修瑪(Robert Tshuma)是沃頓大使訪問期間的示威者之一。他說，這次示威是針對西方國家對穆加貝總統(tǒng)及其盟友下達的金融和旅行限制令。

The financial and travel sanctions were first declared more than ten years ago. The U.S. and other countries acted after reports of human rights abuses and unfair elections in Zimbabwe.

這項金融及旅行制裁于十多年前首次宣布。美國和其它國家在津巴布韋侵犯人權(quán)和選舉不公的報道出來后采取了行動。

Mr Tshuma believes the sanctions should be removed. Ambassador Wharton said the demonstration was an example of freedom of expression. He said the United States wants the people of Zimbabwe to reduce their need for seasonal humanitarian assistances.

修瑪認為這一制裁應(yīng)該取消。沃頓大使表示，示威是言論自由的一個例子。他說，美國希望津巴布韋人們減少自己對季節(jié)性人道援助的需求。

Zimbabwe has grown to depend on such assistance since 2000, when its agricultural production began to decrease. Officials have blamed the decreased production on a lack of rainfall. Some critics of President Mugabe blamed his land reforms. They says those policies reduced the productivity of the country's farms.

自2000年津巴布韋農(nóng)業(yè)產(chǎn)量開始下降以來，該國逐步開始依賴這類援助。有關(guān)官員將減產(chǎn)歸咎于干旱。穆加貝總統(tǒng)的一些批評者則將其歸咎于總統(tǒng)的土地改革。他們說，這些政策降低了該國農(nóng)場的生產(chǎn)力。

Since 2000, the main crop corn has been in short supply. It is now the "hunger season," the last three-month before farmers harvest their crops. During this period, The World Food Program says, it needs to raise $86 million to feed more than two million hungry Zimbabweans.

自2000年以來，主要農(nóng)作物玉米一直供不應(yīng)求。目前是饑荒季節(jié)，即農(nóng)民收割莊稼之前的最后三個月。在此期間，世界糧食計劃署表示它需要募集8600萬美元來養(yǎng)活兩百多萬津巴布韋饑民。

The WFP says the latest U.S. donation is still not enough to pay for its health and nutrition activities in Zimbabwe. The U.N. agency says it needs $60 million in the next six months to finance these programs.

世界糧食計劃署表示，美國最新公布的捐款仍不足以支付該機構(gòu)在津巴布韋的健康和營養(yǎng)活動。該聯(lián)合國機構(gòu)表示，未來6個月還需要6千萬美元來資助這些計劃。