VOA常速英语:Aid for Drought-Stricken South Africa(翻译)

Last year was the hottest year on record.This is partly due to an exceptionally strong El Nino, and partly because of global warming resulting from human activity.El Nino departed in early June, but the heat continues,and the resulting drought has left nearly 100 million people around the globe facing a bleak and hungry future.
去年是有记录以来最热的一年。该现象的一部分原因是因为受一个特别强劲的厄尔尼诺现象影响，同时也是因为人类活动导致全球变暖所致。厄尔尼诺现象在6月上旬就已经结束了，但是高温却持续了下来，由此带来的干旱已经导致全球1亿人面临着一个没有指望的、饥饿的未来。

Some of the hardest-hit regions are in southern Africa.Around 18 million people there are expected to suffer crisis food insecurity, meaning a crisis has resulted in hunger and diminished nutrition.This and other impacts on livestock, water access, and treatment for those living with HIV will last well into 2017.
南部非洲部分地区是受灾最严重的地方。该地区大约1800万人将遭受食品安全危机，届时这场危机将导致饥饿和营养不足。这场危机以及其他对牲畜、水源和治疗艾滋病患的影响将持续到2017年。

“This drought is having a devastating impact on the southern Africa region,and we know things could get even worse,” said Rebecca Sutton of Oxfam,an international confederation of charitable organizations that work toward ending global poverty.“People are struggling now.They have watched their crops wither and their animals starve to death.Even in the best-case scenario the next major harvest is not expected until early next year.”
“这场干旱正在对南部非洲地区造成毁灭性的影响，而且我们知道事情甚至还可能会变得更糟，”来自牛津饥荒救济委员的丽贝卡·萨顿如是说道。“牛津饥荒救济委员”是一个慈善组织国际联盟，致力于解决全球贫困问题。“人们正处于水深火热之中。他们眼睁睁看着自己的庄稼枯萎凋落、牲畜饥饿而死。即使是在最好的情况下，下一次大丰收也要等到明年年初。”

The Southern African Development Community has launched an emergency appeal for $2.4 billion to help those most severely hit by the drought, and protect development gains.The Regional Inter-agency Standing Committee has released an action plan targeted at the seven most-affected countries:Angola, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland and Zimbabwe, which requires $1.2 billion in funding.
南部非洲发展共同体已经启动了一项紧急计划，用24亿美元资金来帮助那些受旱灾影响最严重的地区、保护发展取得的成果。区域机构间常设委员会已经发布了一份行动计划，行动目标锁定在7个受灾最为严重的国家—安哥拉、莱索托、马达加斯加、马拉维、莫桑比克、斯威士兰和津巴布韦，该项行动将耗资12亿美元。

In response, the United States announced an additional $127 million to this effort,bringing the total the United States has provided to the region to over $300 million in humanitarian aid.This includes emergency food assistance, nutrition and health support, access to safe drinking water, and seeds.The funding will be delivered through the United Nations and our NGO partners.
对此，美国宣布追加1.27亿美元资金给这项行动，使得美国提供给该地区的人道主义救援资金总数超过了3亿美元。这包括紧急食品援助、营养和健康支持、提供安全的饮用水、以及种子。这笔资金将通过联合国和美国的非政府组织合作伙伴交付。

Based on early warning and careful tracking of the progression of El Nino,the United States mobilized an integrated response earlier this year to ensure El Nino’s impacts do not negate the progress we’ve already made in reducing hunger and poverty.We have also adjusted development investments to lessen the drought’s impacts, speed recovery, and to help build resilience in southern Africa.
通过对厄尔尼诺现象发展过程的早期预警和仔细追踪，今年年初美国发动了一场综合性的应对措施，从而保证我们在减少饥饿和贫困的工作中所取得的进展不会因为厄尔尼诺现象的影响而毁于一旦。我们还调整了开发投资来减少干旱的影响、加快复苏、帮助南部非洲地区建立快速恢复的能力。

The United States applauds the many fellow donors who have contributed to the southern Africa drought response,and encourages others to join this international effort.Mobilizing a robust and coordinated global response will be critical to protect the region’s gains against chronic hunger and poverty,and to ensure early recovery.
对于许多其他做出贡献帮助南部非洲应对旱灾的捐赠者，美国表示赞赏，并且鼓励其他人也加入到这场国际行动中来。动员起一个强大而协调的全球应对措施将至关重要，可以保护该地区消灭长期饥饿和贫困所取得的成绩，也可以确保该地区早日复苏。