U.S. President George W. Bush arrived on Sunday in Tanzania where he made an appeal to the Congress to renew the program which helps fight against AIDS in Africa.

He was welcomed by a 21-gun salute at the airport and thousands of Tanzanians accompanied him all the way to his hotel.

Tanzania is the second country Bush visits in his six-day tour of the continent in order to support trade and democracy.

Bush asked the Congress to double the funding for the President's Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief, Pepfar, which ends this year, from $18 billion to $30 billion for the next five years.

He said at a news conference with Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete: “It is a balanced program. It is an ABC program: abstinence, be faithful, and condoms. It's a program that's been proven effective. I understand there are voices on both ends of the political spectrum trying to alter the program. I want to ask Congress to listen to the leaders of Africa, analyze what works, stop the squabbling and get the program reauthorized,” Los Angeles Times reports.

“We don't want people on the continent of Africa questioning whether the generosity of the American people will continue,” he added.

The program means easy access to antiretroviral drugs, which means a softer impact of the disease.

The administration hoped that the program would be renewed by the end of 2007 to show support.

Bush and Kikwete made a visit at a hospital and talked with the staff.

His visit threw a light upon Africa’s increase in testing for HIV/AIDS and the availability of drugs.

Kikwete said Bush he "will be remembered for many generations to come for the good things you have done for Tanzania, and good things you have done for Africa."

Bush wanted to put an emphasis on the fight against AIDS and malaria in his trip and to urge political and tribal reconciliation.

He said: "It's in our national interest that America help deal with hopelessness, and it's in our moral interest that we help brothers and sisters that hurt," Bush said.