WASHINGTON, 6 August 2009: World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick next week begins a three-nation African tour 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 will see up-close some of the damage the financial crisis has wrought on these three countries of Africa’s Great Lakes region.
Ahead of his trip, the World Bank president encouraged investors to take advantage of investment opportunities that continue to beckon from Africa, despite the crisis. Opportunities exist even in African countries still mired in, or emerging from conflict, such as DR Congo, post-genocide countries such as Rwanda, and relatively stable countries such as Uganda.
– 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 industrialization on the continent, he added.
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