George W Bush and wife Lara, coming to Africa

Former US president George W. Bush and his wife Laura Bush will visit Tanzania, Zambia, and Ethiopia next month to promote efforts to battle diseases like HIV/AIDS and malaria.

The December 1-5 trip — his first overnight stay in Africa since leaving office in January 2009 — will also serve to "celebrate the remarkable progress made over the past decade to address the challenges of disease, poverty and security," his office said in a statement.

The visit will also highlight efforts by the Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon partners program that battles cervical and breast cancer, the leading causes of cancer death among women in Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America.

As president, Bush ramped up US efforts to battle HIV/AIDS and other deadly diseases in Africa, such as malaria, and promoted economic development and democratic reforms there as well.

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