World Bank Group President, Robert Zoellick, begins a three-nation African tour next week to encourage investor and donor support to help the world's poorest continent cope with the global economic crisis.

During visits to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda, Zoellick aims to see some of the damage the financial crisis has wrought on these three countries of Africa's Great Lakes region.

Ahead of his trip, he encouraged investors to take advantage of investment opportunities that continue to beckon from Africa, despite the crisis.

"Some of the biggest gains in fighting poverty in Africa can be made if investors and donors boost support for agriculture, helping Africa achieve food security, while improving rural incomes and facilitating post-harvest marketing, conservation and agricultural processing," Zoellick said.

The funding most urgently needed should help expand Africa's share of global and intra-African trade, foster regional integration, curb armed conflicts, and build the crucial infrastructure in energy, transport and irrigation to promote manufacturing and industrialisation on the continent, he added.