United States President George W Bush has inked a legislation that will provide US $15 billion to fight AIDS in 12 African and two Caribbean countries.

The five-year programme aims to prevent seven million new HIV infections, care for 10 million HIV+ people and AIDS orphans and provide treatment to two million.

"The fight against AIDS is difficult, but not hopeless. We know how to prevent AIDS and how to treat it," Bush said.

He said the legislation provides for the purchase of low-cost anti-retroviral medications and other drugs and the establishment of a broad network to deliver these drugs to the farthest reaches of Africa 'even by motorcycle or bicycle'.

"In the face of preventable death and suffering, we have a moral duty to act, and we are acting," he said.

Bush said he would try to persuade other industrial nations to contribute to the effort financially.

He will soon nominate a global AIDS coordinator of the rank of ambassador to direct American efforts, officials said.