非洲國家希望從美國新立法中受益

　　8月28日VOA聽力：非洲國度願望從美國新立法中受益

　　Exhibitors at the AGOA forum in the Gabonesecapital, Libreville, are ready to take full advantage ofexporting their products into the U.S. tax free.

　　U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African AffairsLinda Thomas-Greenfield is attending the forum andsaid more countries can benefit from AGOA.

　　“We are working with those countries through ourtrade hubs and through consultations with American companies and trade ministers to try toincrease the productivity of companies that are exporting to the U.S. to increase the qualityof the products that they are increasing.”

　　She said it is a long-term process and won't happen overnight.

　　While this is an exciting time for the Gabonese leadership, the average person in Librevilledoesn't know what AGOA is.

　　"Personally this is the first time I am hearing about AGOA."

　　Another resident expressed hopes young entrepreneurs like him can get help.

　　"It's always been difficult because banks around here do not give us loans or help us in anyway.

　　They don't take chances on us so hope AGOA can help us with a solution."

　　Few African economies have taken advantage of the U.S. trade initiative.

　　Dumile Cele, the Durban chamber of commerce chief executive, said the trade partnership hashelped advance South Africa's manufacturing sector.

　　"South Africa has been able to grow the export of besides the citrus which are agriculturalgoods, besides those we have been able to export an enormous amount of vehicles, parts intothe U.S.A. market.”

　　But Witney Schneidman, a non-resident fellow at the Brookings Institution, noted that therehave been some disparities.

　　“South Africa exports about 4 billion worth of products to the U.S. under AGOA, and I don'tthink there's another country that reaches a billion dollars.

　　So I think it's really a challenge for the U.S. and for all AGOA beneficiaries to figure out how totake better advantage of the legislation.”

　　But while economies of countries like South Africa have grown, other African leaders have saidtheir countries lack the skilled labor and infrastructure to take advantage of AGOA.

　　點擊下一頁檢察譯文