在线英语听力室

VOA新闻杂志2022--俄罗斯和西方争夺非洲影响力

时间:2022-08-04 01:52:40

搜索关注在线英语听力室公众号:tingroom,领取免费英语资料大礼包。

(单词翻译)

Russia, West Compete for Influence in Africa

Russian, French, and American leaders are traveling across Africa to win support for their countries' positions on the war in Ukraine.

Experts say it is the most intense competition for influence in Africa since the Cold War when the former Soviet1 Union and the West sought closer ties with the continent.

Last week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and French President Emmanuel Macron began visiting several African countries. Samantha Power is head of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). She went to Kenya and Somalia in July. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, is expected to go to Ghana and Uganda soon.

Restarting old ties

Lavrov has been traveling across Africa where many countries are suffering from food shortages. He sought to blame rising food prices on Western countries because they placed trade restrictions2 on Russia over its war in Ukraine.

Western leaders have accused Russia of using food as a weapon. They have also accused Russia of fighting a war to gain more territory.

Russia has been working to win support in Africa for several years. President Vladimir Putin has tried to strengthen relationships that are more than 50 years old. At that time, the Soviet Union supported many African movements fighting to push out European colonial rulers.

The United Nations vote to condemn3 Russia's invasion of Ukraine demonstrated some of Russia's influence in Africa. Twenty-eight African nations voted in favor of the resolution. But, 25 countries abstained5, meaning they did not vote at all.

In late July, Russia's top diplomat6 visited Egypt, Congo, Uganda, and Ethiopia. Lavrov accused the U.S. and European countries of driving up food prices by pushing risky7 environmental policies. He also accused them of keeping large amounts of food during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The situation in Ukraine did additionally negatively affect food markets," Lavrov said in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital. But he said food shortages were not caused by the "Russian special operation," or war in Ukraine. He blamed the problems on the reaction of the West and its sanctions on his country.

Aiming for increased influence

Lavrov was warmly received in Uganda by President Yoweri Museveni. Museveni has been a U.S. ally for many years. But he has refused to criticize Russia over the invasion. Museveni even suggested at the outbreak of the war that Putin's actions might be understandable because Ukraine is in Russia's area of influence.

Lavrov voiced support for reform of the U.N. Security Council to give African countries permanent seats and greater influence.

Museveni is considered an opinion leader in Africa and has held power for about 30 years.

Russia is also trying to win African public opinion through its state television network, RT, formerly8 known as Russia Today. RT has announced that it will open a new office in Johannesburg, South Africa.

In March, RT was suddenly removed from Africa's biggest paid-television service, Multichoice which is based in Johannesburg. The decision came after the European Union and Britain enforced sanctions against Russia.

It is not clear whether creating the new office will permit RT to broadcast again to Africa through Multichoice. Multichoice claims 22 million people pay for its service.

"For Russia, it is the battle to be heard in Africa. It is not important for the actual war effort but for their long-term political influence," said Anton Harber. He is a professor of journalism9 at the University of the Witwatersrand.

‘That's the reality.'

On his trip to Africa, France's Macron accused Russia of using TV channels like RT to spread propaganda in support of the war.

Macron urged Africans not to side with Russia. He said, "I'm telling you here in Africa, a continent that has suffered from colonial imperialism10: Russia is one of the last colonial, imperial powers. She decides to invade a neighboring country to defend her interests," he said. "That's the reality."

Samantha Power, the top U.S. AID official, was in East Africa to promise aid to help the region's fight against hunger during a period of severe lack of rain. She also criticized Russia's blocking of "...Ukraine's grain exports and restricting the trade of Russia's own fertilizer."

Power said in Nairobi, that Putin's actions have caused pain to the "...people of Kenya and on other countries throughout the world."

"He is hurting the people of Kenya," she added, in an effort to help "his own situation."

Words in This Story

Cold War –n. the nonviolent conflict between the U.S. and the former U.S.S.R. (Soviet Union) after 1945

continent –n. one of six or seven very large divisions of land on Earth

rival –adj. describing sides that are trying to defeat or be more successful than each other

abstain4 –v. to choose not to vote

negatively –adv. harmfully, badly

sanctions –n. (usually pl.) an action that is taken or an order that is given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country, by not allowing economic aid for that country


分享到:


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 Soviet Sw9wR     
adj.苏联的,苏维埃的;n.苏维埃
参考例句:
  • Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
  • Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。
2 restrictions 81e12dac658cfd4c590486dd6f7523cf     
约束( restriction的名词复数 ); 管制; 制约因素; 带限制性的条件(或规则)
参考例句:
  • I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
  • a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制
3 condemn zpxzp     
vt.谴责,指责;宣判(罪犯),判刑
参考例句:
  • Some praise him,whereas others condemn him.有些人赞扬他,而有些人谴责他。
  • We mustn't condemn him on mere suppositions.我们不可全凭臆测来指责他。
4 abstain SVUzq     
v.自制,戒绝,弃权,避免
参考例句:
  • His doctor ordered him to abstain from beer and wine.他的医生嘱咐他戒酒。
  • Three Conservative MPs abstained in the vote.三位保守党下院议员投了弃权票。
5 abstained d7e1885f31dd3d021db4219aad4071f1     
v.戒(尤指酒),戒除( abstain的过去式和过去分词 );弃权(不投票)
参考例句:
  • Ten people voted in favour, five against and two abstained. 十人投票赞成,五人反对,两人弃权。
  • They collectively abstained (from voting) in the elections for local councilors. 他们在地方议会议员选举中集体弃权。 来自《简明英汉词典》
6 diplomat Pu0xk     
n.外交官,外交家;能交际的人,圆滑的人
参考例句:
  • The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话,紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
  • He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。
7 risky IXVxe     
adj.有风险的,冒险的
参考例句:
  • It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险,但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
  • He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。
8 formerly ni3x9     
adv.从前,以前
参考例句:
  • We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
  • This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。
9 journalism kpZzu8     
n.新闻工作,报业
参考例句:
  • He's a teacher but he does some journalism on the side.他是教师,可还兼职做一些新闻工作。
  • He had an aptitude for journalism.他有从事新闻工作的才能。
10 imperialism jc1zE     
n.帝国主义,帝国主义政策
参考例句:
  • They held the imperialism in contempt.他们鄙视帝国主义。
  • Imperialism has not been able to subjugate China.帝国主义不能征服中国。

本文本内容来源于互联网抓取和网友提交,仅供参考,部分栏目没有内容,如果您有更合适的内容,欢迎 点击提交 分享给大家。