國際貨幣基金組織就貧富差距發出警告
The International Monetary Fund has highlighted the threat posed to the global economy by growing income inequality as the world’s business and political leaders prepare to head off to the World Economic Forum in Davos this week.
在世界商界和政界領袖本週前往達沃斯參加世界經濟論壇(WEF)之際，國際貨幣基金組織(IMF)強調稱，收入分配不公的不斷擴大已對世界經濟構成威脅。Christine Lagarde, managing director of the IMF, is concerned that the fruits of economic activity in many countries are not being widely shared.
IMF總裁克里斯蒂娜•拉加德(Christine Lagarde)擔心，經濟活動的果實在許多國家並未得到廣泛的分享。“Business and political leaders at the World Economic Forum should remember that in far too many countries the benefits of growth are being enjoyed by far too few people. This is not a recipe for stability and sustainability,” she told the Financial Times.
她對英國《金融時報》表示：“出席世界經濟論壇的商界和政界領袖應當銘記，在太多國家，增長帶來的好處只被太少的人分享。這不利於世界的穩定和可持續發展。”
The World Economic Forum has identified the gap between the rich and poor as an important theme for this year’s gathering.
世界經濟論壇已將貧富差距問題列爲今年會議的一項重要主題。The message is hitting home. Shinzo Abe, Japan’s prime minister, is coming to Switzerland with the message that Japanese companies must raise wages, while the government of David Cameron, his UK counterpart who is also attending the forum, called for a large inflation-busting rise in the British minimum wage last week.
這一信息正引發迴應。日本首相安倍晉三(Shinzo Abe)將在瑞士表示：日本企業必須給員工漲薪。同樣將出席論壇的英國首相戴維•卡梅倫(David Cameron)上週則呼籲，英國應以超出通脹的幅度大幅提高最低工資標準。Tony Abbott, the Australian prime minister, will outline his country’s ambitions as chair of the Group of 20 leading economies this year in Davos. Ensuring progress is made on tackling multinational corporation tax avoidance is high in Australia’s priorities.
作爲20國集團(G20)輪值主席國澳大利亞的總理，託尼•阿博特(Tony Abbott)將在達沃斯闡述該國的雄心。確保在解決跨國公司避稅問題上取得進展，將是澳大利亞的一項優先議程。The change in sentiment comes as campaigners argue that the world’s population has rarely had such unequal access to wealth and power. In a report published today, Oxfam, the charity, used the Forbes rich list to calculate that the $1.7tn in wealth owned by the world’s richest 85 people equals that shared between the bottom half of the world’s population.
就在輿論風向改變之際，活動人士認爲，世界人口的財富和權力分配從未像現在這樣不公平。慈善機構樂施會(Oxfam)今天發佈了一份報告，利用福布斯(Forbes)富豪榜計算出，世界最富有的85個人擁有的1.7萬億美元財富，相當於世界收入較低的一半人口擁有的財富之和。Winnie Byanyima, Oxfam executive director, who will attend the Davos meetings, said: “It is staggering that in the 21st century, half of the world’s population – that’s three and a half billion people – own no more than a tiny elite whose numbers could all fit comfortably on a double-decker bus.”
即將參加達沃斯會議的樂施會執行董事維尼•比揚依瑪(Winnie Byanyima)表示：“時值21世紀，佔世界一半人口的35億人擁有的財富居然仍不比一小撮富得流油的精英人士擁有的多，這簡直令人難以置信。”As well as discussing geopolitics, economics and business in Davos, the audience has poverty and inequality on the agenda and can leave the conference hall to study an interactive experience of a day in the life of Syrian refugees.
在達沃斯論壇上，除討論地緣政治、經濟和商業問題之外，與會者還要討論貧困和不平等問題，並可能離開會議室、去對敘利亞難民一天的生活做一番互動式體驗。
