2006年金秋的北京，街頭充盈著濃濃的赤道風情和“阿非利加”式的熱烈——中非合作論壇峰會的盛會，把遙遠的非洲空前地拉近在咫尺。這種氛圍讓我們感到親切、懷念，讓我們憶起了一年前在非洲考察的日日夜夜。

2005年金秋，我們新華社東非考察組一行7人遠涉重洋，對埃塞俄比亞、坦桑尼亞、肯尼亞三國進行了為期l5天的考察訪問。在那沐浴印度洋海風和與金合歡“華蓋”為伴的日子里，我們對陌生的東非大陸有了一種難得的體驗和感知。

窮困，卻快樂著

經(jīng)過十多個小時的飛行，我們于當?shù)貢r間21點左右到達埃塞俄比亞的首都亞的斯亞貝巴。機場廣場看上去有些眼熟，一問的確是中國內(nèi)地某城市的手筆。沿途低矮凌亂的建筑物，似乎不大能找到首都的感覺，快要進城時開始有三三兩兩的黑人在路上轉(zhuǎn)悠，一見有車停下，便湊過來伸出手，嘴里念叨著：“彎波！彎波！”（一埃元的意思）。原來是星夜路邊乞討的人群，其中不乏背著小孩的婦女。這個全球最不發(fā)達國家的窮困，一下子就給了我們深切的印象。

次日白天，這種印象就更突出了，馬路牙子上站滿了無所事事的年輕人，隨時會有人跑過來伸手“彎波！”據(jù)說全城至少有100萬這樣靠行乞為生的無業(yè)者。乞討者能要到一元埃幣（相當于一元人民幣）就興高采烈，據(jù)說可以過上一天。

但讓我們不解的是，從這些人臉上似乎看不見愁苦神情。他們蹦蹦跳跳地跑過來討錢，討得到討不到，都是笑嘻嘻地一轟而散，有的還彬彬有禮地幫你關(guān)好車門，向你揮揮手，頗有職業(yè)乞討者的風度。更讓人匪夷所思的是，在亞的斯亞貝巴工作的中國人幾乎眾口一詞地稱贊這里的治安良好，黑人非常友善，很少攻擊人。還有一個有趣的現(xiàn)象，每天清晨馬路上有不少人練晨跑，其中不乏白天站馬路的無業(yè)者和行乞者，我們想這也許是他們的一種生活方式吧，在世界田徑賽場上，埃塞俄比亞是跑得最快的國家之一！在人們的想象中，貧窮似乎難免與偷盜搶劫連在一起，但在埃塞俄比亞，這種慣例被黑人樂觀和知足的天性打破了。

在埃塞俄比亞期間，我們造訪了位于巴哈達爾市的尼羅河源頭瀑布，在這近乎蠻荒的原野，在這遍地是赤足扛棍的黑人世界里，我們經(jīng)歷了兩次有驚無險的事故，讓我們體驗了埃塞俄比亞的安寧和友善：一次是從尼羅河源頭瀑布返回途中，突然遭遇非洲荒原上的驟雨。我們八個中國人和十多個黑人不得不擠在一條塑料布頂棚的小船上避雨，足足在風雨中飄搖了20多分鐘。此前的一路上，他們?yōu)榱恕皬澆ā?，自己走泥濘，把路讓給我們走；自己淋雨，把傘讓給我們撐。這會兒，真有點像五百年修得同船渡了！另一次是在尼羅河源頭的湖邊，考察團的一位女同志因迷戀湖邊的一棵大樹，光顧著拍照迷路走失了！這時天色已晚，湖邊樹木濃密，沒有燈光，語言不通，電話也無法聯(lián)系，直到半個小時之后大家才得于會合，真讓人驚喜而后怕，而正在此時，在幽暗的湖邊，當?shù)氐暮谌藗冋崎e地散步，還有人在彈著吉他唱著家鄉(xiāng)的歌謠。

在經(jīng)濟稍發(fā)達一些的肯尼亞首都內(nèi)羅畢，城市風貌和人們的穿著行止不像埃塞俄比亞這么原始古樸，但有一道風景也讓我們感到其中的一脈相承。內(nèi)羅畢城內(nèi)大樹參天，陽光穿過樹叢照射在馬路上。這里的馬路沒有專門的人行道。就在馬路邊的石子路上，內(nèi)羅畢的上班族成群結(jié)隊地大步行走著，每天要步行十公里以上，為著每月十多美元的工資。

尚未開席的盛筵

來非洲聽到這么一種說法：上帝就是讓這樣的一群非洲人守住非洲大陸，使得非洲至今還是一塊未開墾的處女地，一片地球上最后的伊甸園。

在東非三國，我們所到之處幾乎沒有見過冒煙的工廠，甚至也看不見成片的農(nóng)作物。但是，汽車駛過的沿途，處處能看到連綿起伏的原野，一望無際的土地，看到那柔和舒緩的土地線條，綠中帶黃的草地和疏密有致地點綴著非洲的傘形金合歡樹。在去尼羅河源頭的路上，我們走過一大片空曠的荒野，腳下的泥土黑得冒油，地上的植物蔥綠欲滴，真是美麗而富饒的大地?。∵@與我們驅(qū)車大西北時看到的滿眼戈壁相比，自然條件真是天壤之別。

在肯尼亞，在被數(shù)百萬只火烈鳥染成粉紅色的那庫魯湖邊，我們登上一處居高臨下的觀景處，縱目望去，錯落的叢林，起伏的原野，彩色的湖泊，那么遼闊悠遠、層層疊疊，完全是動畫片《獅子王》場景，真是大自然的恩賜啊！

筆者在互聯(lián)網(wǎng)上讀到這樣一段文字，頗能表達東非旅游的特質(zhì)：“20世紀初，每年都有大批西方紳士淑女坐著輪船再轉(zhuǎn)乘冒著濃煙的火車受盡顛簸之苦進入東非大陸。因為在這里的人類能夠像伊甸園時代那樣與無數(shù)美麗的生靈親密接觸，荒野中的旅行永遠都藏有無限驚奇?！?/p>

非洲除了大自然的原生態(tài)，還有非洲文明的珍貴遺存。如肯尼亞國家博物館保存完好的3.5萬年前的巖洞壁畫，也有收藏著非洲原野的愛情、至今仍能感受到那種溫婉高貴氣息的凱倫莊園……

除了這些浮光掠影便能看得見的資源，更豐富的資源可見資料顯示：肯尼亞境內(nèi)礦藏非常豐富，這些礦藏除純堿和螢石外，其他如重晶石、金、銀、銅、鋁、鋅、鈮等多數(shù)礦藏都未開發(fā)。埃塞俄比亞水資源豐富，號稱“東非水塔”，但利用率不足5%；坦桑尼亞森林和林地面積占到國土面積45%，水力發(fā)電潛力達到4億千瓦，全國可耕地面積為3940萬公頃，但已耕面積不到六分之一。

在地球上許多地方由于資源的過度開發(fā)而“杯盤狼藉”的當今，非洲，至少是東非，幾乎就是一桌尚未開席的盛筵！

蘊藏著巨大潛力

與整個非洲大陸一樣，東非三國目前仍面臨著很嚴重的社會問題。貧窮和饑餓，教育和醫(yī)療匱乏，失業(yè)率居高不下，艾滋病蔓延等等互為因果，嚴重阻礙著東非社會經(jīng)濟的發(fā)展。聯(lián)合國新近公布的全球49個最不發(fā)達國家中，非洲占36個，埃塞俄比亞和坦桑尼亞位居非洲后列。2003-2004財政年度，埃塞俄比亞人均國內(nèi)生產(chǎn)總值僅為112美元。首都亞的斯亞貝巴除了總統(tǒng)府、使館區(qū)等少數(shù)地方，500萬人口的城市幾乎就是一個大貧民區(qū)。坦桑尼亞人均國民收入約為280美元，官方公布失業(yè)率達34%左右，約50%人口生活在貧困線以下。

但解決這些問題的前景決非一團漆黑。整個非洲大陸開始由動蕩走向平穩(wěn)，發(fā)展成為主流，巨大的未來市場正在描繪之中。

據(jù)我們考察了解，東非三國近年都不同程度加大社會改革。埃塞俄比亞執(zhí)政黨確立各民族平等參與國家事務的“革命民主”和“資本主義自由市場經(jīng)濟”的發(fā)展方向；肯尼亞新政府將根除腐敗和振興經(jīng)濟作為施政要務，實施國企私有化和法制改革；坦桑尼亞政府逐步將私有化改革重點從宏觀轉(zhuǎn)向微觀領(lǐng)域，積極推進中小企業(yè)發(fā)展，以解決貧困問題及由此產(chǎn)生的社會矛盾。由于這些改革措施，東非三國已經(jīng)遏制住了經(jīng)濟長期下滑的趨勢，出現(xiàn)了較快的增長，其中GDP增長率最高的埃塞俄比亞超過10%。

希望不止于此。在這里，我們能感受到的還有一種可喜的增長理念。所到之處，基本沒有看到大規(guī)模大興土木、破壞地表和污染環(huán)境現(xiàn)象，表現(xiàn)為一種較低消耗的經(jīng)濟增長模式。即使在商業(yè)服務較發(fā)達的內(nèi)羅畢，綠蔭擁簇的低層風格建筑群落，構(gòu)成城市風貌主體。在大城市內(nèi)及公路干道周邊，飛禽走獸自如生活著。

在旅游業(yè)的開發(fā)上，更是有意無意地體現(xiàn)出先進的環(huán)保意識。聞名于世的肯尼亞馬塞馬拉和那庫魯國家公園，看不到任何水泥地面和堅固建筑，五星級賓館也是綠地大樹帳篷房舍，公共空間以原木門廊為主體，充分保持原始的古樸自然，盡量消減對環(huán)境生態(tài)的負面影響。景點有限的接待能力和通往保護區(qū)的簡易道路，也無形中起到控制客源、保護環(huán)境的作用。幾乎所有的高級度假區(qū)，都是用椰子樹葉做成精致華美而又渾然天成的屋頂，資源利用達到極致。

較好的理念還表現(xiàn)在社會公共生活方面。一家中資企業(yè)負責人告訴我們，在埃塞俄比亞，“第一夫人”隨意出入普通社區(qū)，與社會底層的姐妹朋友始終保持著親密聯(lián)系，他們想見政府部長一級官員甚至副總統(tǒng)并不困難。我們拜訪肯尼亞通訊社時，得知政府一位副總統(tǒng)就在同一幢樓內(nèi)辦公，里面還有眾多其他機構(gòu)。在亞的斯亞貝巴和內(nèi)羅畢我們看到，環(huán)繞總統(tǒng)府的不是高墻深院，而是普通的通透式柵欄，院子里的情況路人看得真真切切。

一些制度的框架設計也體現(xiàn)出超前的意識?？夏醽喓吞股Ｄ醽喍紝嵭行W免費義務教育，三國都全面建立了職工養(yǎng)老保險等社會保障制度，企業(yè)解聘一名員工，要支付相當高的經(jīng)濟成本。埃塞俄比亞從政府機關(guān)到眾多其他組織，都設有專職公關(guān)機構(gòu)，非常注重和社會民眾的溝通。三國都建立起有效的社會制衡機制，實行多黨制，但沒有反政府武裝，憲法規(guī)定軍隊不得干政。這種體制使得經(jīng)濟雖然落后但政局平穩(wěn)。中國駐肯尼亞政務參贊關(guān)若洵女士向我們介紹，這個國家從上世紀1963年獨立以來，社會非常平穩(wěn)，經(jīng)濟出現(xiàn)負增長時也是如此，即使執(zhí)掌政權(quán)近40年的肯盟被反對黨拉下臺，社會也沒有出現(xiàn)動蕩。

Poverty-Stricken but Rich Africa

By Chen Yani， Yu Leiyan

The China-Africa Forum held in the golden autumn of Beijing， 2006 reminded us of our 2005 visit to Ethiopia， Tanzania and Kenya， organized by the Xinhua News Agency. The fifteen-day trip opened our eyes to an Africa of sharp contrasts.

After a flight of more than 10 hours， we landed at Addis Ababa， the capital of Ethiopia， at 9 pm of local time. We wondered why the plaza in front of the airport terminal looked vaguely familiar and smiled understandingly when we learned that the blueprint had come from China. On the way to the downtown we saw a ragged skyline of low buildings as well as loads of beggars. It was said that there were about 1 million beggars in the city. What puzzled us was that they looked quite happy. They extended their hands toward us for one Birr， and when they scattered， no matter whether they got anything from us， they didn’t forget to smile or wave friendly to us or even courteously closed the car door for us. The Chinese working in Addis Ababa told us unanimously that the security situation was quite good， that local residents were friendly， and violence was few and far between. We were also impressed by the people jogging in the morning. Some joggers were unemployed and some were even beggars.

Two incidences we had while visiting the source of the Nile River in Ethiopia further demonstrated how friendly and peaceful the local people are. After our visit to one of the source places， we were caught in a storm. We eight Chinese and a dozen of black people had to be on a boat protected only by the plastic sheet above our heads to wait for the storm to abate. The storm roared and we sat quietly for more than 20 minutes. The situation reminded us of a Chinese saying that the destiny of crossing a river on the same boat with someone started five hundred years ago. On another visit to the lake near the source of the Nile， one Chinese woman journalist got separated from the rest of us as she was photographing a tall tree on the lakeside. It was already dark. The lakeside teemed with thick trees and bushes. There was no light. We did not have the access to contact her and she did not speak the local language. Meanwhile， we saw some people taking a stroll and some were singing. Half an hour later， she was safely back and joined us.

One of the sayings about Africa we heard frequently after setting foot on the continent was that God left the Africans there to guard the continent which was like Eden on earth.

During our trip， we hardly saw any smoke stacks there. Moreover， we hardly saw any extensive farms. Instead， there were scenes of the endless and undulating fields dotted with umbrella-like sweet acacia trees. The soil there was black and extremely fertile， constituting a sharp contrast with the deserts in west China. On the shore of Kenya’s vast Lake Nakuru we watched in awe the breathtakingly beautiful scenery， tinted pink with millions of flamingos. An observation platform at a vantage point allowed us a panoramic view of the scenery: scattered clusters of woods， the undulating wild land， the colorful lake. The broad scenery unfolded to the horizon， showing different shades of colors and beauties， just like a scene in the animation film Lion King. Africa also preserves the rich historical heritage. We saw the 35，000-year-old well preserved frescos at the Kenya National Museum.

Africa is a land of mineral treasures. Most resources in the three East African countries have not yet been developed. Compared with countries on other continents which have been overly developed， Africa is untouched.

Like the whole continent， the three countries are plagued by serious social problems such as poverty， hunger， lack of education and medicine， unemployment， and AIDS. Of the 49 least developed countries in the world， according to the UN， 36 are in Africa. The per capita GDP of Ethiopia in the 2003-2004 fiscal year was merely 112 US dollars. Except for a few places such as presidential palace and embassy district， the capital with a population of 5 million looks like a giant slum. The official unemployment rate in Tanzania was about 34% and more than 50% of the population lived under the poverty line.

But the resolution of these pictures is not utterly hopeless. The trend of development is encouraging and promising. The three countries have adopted more measures to solve social problems. In Ethiopia， the government has adopted a iexcl;°revolutionary democracyiexcl;± system in which all the ethnic groups enjoy equality in running the state affairs. To spur economic development， the government has determined to take the road to capitalist free market. The new government of Kenya attaches importance to combating corruption and vitalizing economy. Policies have been adopted to denationalize state enterprises and reform the legal system. In Tanzania， privatization has deepened to the microscopic fields from the macroscopic fields. Policies have been formulated to promote the growth of small and midsize businesses， and to lift poverty and fight poverty-triggered social malaises. As the result of aforesaid measures， the economic downturn has been halted in the three countries. The three economies have been booming at relatively fast rates. Ethiopia’s GDP is growing at a rate of more than 10 percent per year.

More encouraging is a development philosophy underlying the prosperous progress we saw there. No development projects we saw there ruined natural environment or spread pollution. The three economies grow in a low-consumption mode. Architecturally， Nairobi， where business is prosperous， is highlighted by clusters of low buildings flanked by trees. It was quite frequent that we spot leisurely wild animals and birds in urban areas and roadsides.

Tourism in the three countries is environment-friendly. In Kenya’s renowned Masai Mara National Reserve， there is neither an inch of concrete floor nor any massive construction. In the five-star hotel there guests stay in tents and the public space in the hotel is made of logs. Nearly all the deluxe hospitality facilities are “green” and built with local resources.

Another thing in the public life there caught our eyes. We learned from a Chinese manager working in a Chinese company there that local people had no difficulty meeting high-ranking government officials. The Ethiopia’s first lady enjoyed sisterly relations with her friends across the social strata. While we were visiting at the Kenya News Agency， we learned that the country’s vice president worked in the same office building which was also home to a number of government agencies. In Addis Ababa and Nairobi， government offices were surrounded merely by ordinary see-through fences.

The government system in the three countries makes good sense. All the three countries have a political system of balances and checks. The multi-party political system functions well there. Constitution stipulates that the military shall never interfere with politics. The system ensures social stability despite poverty. We learned that Kenya has been politically stable since 1963 when it became independent even though political and economic situations have undergone ups and downs.

(Translated by David)