Continued democratic reforms, human rights and economic opportunities will take center stage when President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush visit Benin, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana and Liberia on an official tour of Africa. The president last visited the continent in 2003, and will return to review U.S.-assisted economic development projects and programs to control and prevention of malaria and HIV/AIDS.

The president will meet with the leaders of the five countries during the one-week tour next month "to discuss how the United States can continue to partner with African countries to support continued democratic reform, respect for human rights, free trade, open investment regimes and economic opportunity across the continent," the White House said Friday.

Bush has called on Congress to double funding to $30 billion for the President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief which has enabled over one million Africans to get antiretroviral treatment for AIDS.