2016年12月英语六级听力在线练习(74)思维导图

InOctober,theUnitedStatesAgencyforInternationalDevelopment,orUSAID,andtheCommonMarketforEasternandSouthernAfrica,orCOMESA,launchedafive-yearRegionalDevelopmentObjectivesGrantAgreementatthe19thCOMESASummit,heldthisyearinMadagascar.Theagreement,announcedinNairobi,Kenya,providesforUSAIDtocontributeapproximately$77milliondollarstostrengthenthecollaborativepartnershipbetweenthetwoorganizationsandimplementregionaltrade,investment,andagriculturedevelopmentprogramsthatcontributetotheircommongoals.

U.S.AmbassadortoZambiaandSpecialRepresentativetoCOMESAEricSchultz,USAIDDeputyMissionDirectorforKenyaandEastAfricaCandaceBuzzard,andtheCOMESASecretaryGeneralAmbassadorSindisoNgwenyasignedamemorandumofunderstandingtoaffirmtheagreement.

AmbassadorSchultzpointedtothecontinuedmomentumtowardachievingcommoneconomicdevelopmentgoalsbyrenewingthepartnership.“Througheconomicdiversification,attractingmoreforeigninvestment,andreducingexistingtradebarriers,wecanbuilduponoursuccessestodate.IamconfidentthatthenewAgreementwillhelpusbolstergrowthandunlockeconomicpotentialamongtheCOMESAmemberstates.”

Underthisagreement,COMESAandUSAIDwillworktogethertoachieveshareddevelopmentprioritiestopromotesustainableregionaleconomicintegration;reinforceinstitutionalgovernanceandaccountabilitybysupportingthecoordinationofregionaltrade,investment,andagriculturalpolicies;andstrengthenCOMESA'sorganizationalleadership.

ThenewagreementisnotthefirstforUSAIDandCOMESA,aregionaleconomiccommunityundertheAfricanUnionwith19memberstates.Theyhavepartneredsince2003tocreatesustainableandintegratedmarkets,increasetheproductivityofstaplecropsandfarmproductivity,promotetradeandreducetradebarriersinregionalmarkets,andsupportthefreemovementofgoodsandservicesintheregion.Underapreviousagreement,USAIDprovided$115milliondollarstosupporttheorganizationindeliveringitsmandate.

TheUnitedStatesisproudtoworkwithitspartner,COMESA,topromotetheprosperityofAfricaandtheworld.