IMF和世行警告全球經濟困境

The International Monetary Fund is warning that global economic growth is slowing at the same time the World Bank says hundreds of millions of new jobs are needed around the world. Top financial and political leaders are gathering in Tokyo to discuss these and other major economic issues.

國際貨幣基金組織警告說，全球經濟增長正在放慢。與此同時，世界銀行表示，全世界需要數億個新的工作機會。世界各國的高級經濟和政治領導人正在東京開會，討論經濟增長、就業機會和其他重要經濟的問題。

Many Europeans have been angered by government efforts to slash pensions and salaries, while raising taxes in an effort to balance battered budgets.

歐洲國家政府試圖減少退休金和工資，同時增加稅收，以平衡預算，很多歐洲人爲此感到憤怒。

Public anger is one of many things limiting what leaders can do to solve economic problems in Europe and elsewhere.

公衆的憤怒和很多其他因素束縛了歐洲等國家領導人解決經濟問題的手腳。

As leaders head for the International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings, many economists say Europe’s problems are the biggest threat to the global economy.

就在領導人蔘加國際貨幣基金組織IMF和世界銀行會議的同時，很多經濟學家說，歐洲問題是對世界經濟的最大威脅。

Making cuts while spurring growth

IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde said the budget cuts must be made gradually and need to be balanced with spending that's designed to boost growth and jobs.

IMF總裁拉加德說，裁減預算應該循序漸進，要和促進經濟增長及就業機會的特定開支取得平衡。

"There should be clearly a focus on austerity, but also on growth as we believe that the two are not mutually exclusive,” said Lagarde.

她說：“緊縮政策顯然是重點，可是我們相信，緊縮政策並不排斥經濟增長。”

A World Bank study says 600 million new jobs are needed by 2020 to accommodate new entrants to the workforce. The study says private enterprise creates most new jobs, but World Bank President Jim Yong Kim said government can help by providing good infrastructure and smart regulation.

世界銀行的一份研究表示，到2020年爲止，全球需要爲新生勞力提供6億個就業機會。這份研究還說，私有企業創造的就業機會最多。可是世界銀行行長金墉說，政府提供基礎設施和明智的條例作爲幫助。

“There is a lot that governments can do to create an environment where especially small and medium enterprises can create the kind of good jobs that people need and people want," he said.

金墉說：“政府可以做很多事情來創造就業環境，特別是幫中小型企業創造人們需要和喜歡的工作。”

Battling complex issues

Top financial officials from around the world have met frequently over the past few years to deal with difficult issues. Some economists blame blunders by financial companies for sparking the economic crisis that threw millions of people out of work.

世界高級金融官員過去幾年來頻繁舉行會談來處理這些難題。一些經濟學家指責金融機構的失誤導致經濟危機，造成上億人失業。

Many experts say regulation has improved, by for example, requiring banks to keep larger cash reserves.

很多專家說，政府條例有所改善，比如要求銀行增加現金儲備。

Daniel Hanson of the American Enterprise Institute in Washington said, however, that Europe’s debt woes slow the process.

可是設在首都華盛頓的美國企業研究所的丹尼爾·漢森說，歐洲的債務困境改善緩慢。

“Europe is making a lot of progress in safeguarding their system, but they are doing so in the midst of their largest credit crunch on record,” said Hanson.

漢森說：“歐洲在保護體制方面取得很多進展，可是他們面對的是有史以來最大的信貸危機。”

One expert said that easing Europe’s troubles will be challenging new territory for the IMF, which has experience helping poor nations.

塔夫茨大學教授巴克沙·查克拉沃夫說，歐洲的麻煩將是對擁有幫助窮國經驗的IMF的新挑戰。

Tufts University Professor Bhaksar Chakravorti expects only modest progress from the IMF and World Bank gatherings in Tokyo. He spoke on Skype.

查克拉沃夫預計，IMF和世界銀行的東京會議只能取得微薄的進展。他通過SKYPE說：

"I think it moves the ball along a few tiny inches on a field that is probably several miles long," said Chakravorti.

“我認爲，這次會議只是長征的第一步。”

At a time when the globe faces slowing growth, debt problems in Europe, political stalemates in the United States, and other problems, modest progress may be the best that can be achieved.

就在全球面臨經濟放緩的同時，歐洲的債務問題、美國的政治僵局，再加上其他問題，這次會議能夠取得微薄進展就已經算是大功告成了。