Don't be ashamed of AIDS' was the message when Former US president
Bill Clinton paid a lightning visit to Monrovia to launch an anti-AIDS drive in war-shattered Liberia.

Clinton arrived early evening and left within hours after signing a deal with Liberian leader Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to fight
HIV and AIDS which infect some 12 percent of Liberia's 3,2 million people.

The two-term US president, whose foundation is pushing for low cost anti-retroviral drugs for poor countries, has been trotting around Africa since last week hammering on the importance of access to the drugs on the African continent.

He said the deal he signed with Sirleaf was to commit his foundation to help Liberia combat HIV and AIDS, "to help people to determine their status, to realise that this is nothing to be ashamed of, for problems to be addressed and to provide medicine and to save lives."

"The United States has a historic and continuing obligation to be a good neighbour and good partner to the people of Liberia.

"There are lots of other things I hope we can do together but none of it will be possible if the people have not made the decision to turn away from a long national nightmare to a bright new tomorrow," said Clinton.

Health facilities in Liberia, the oldest republic on Africa, set up by freed slaves, have been almost totally destroyed.

Sirleaf thanked Clinton for his continued support for Liberia.

"You are somebody who has been very supportive of Liberia throughout the years of your presidency," Sirleaf told Clinton.

"You help us to find peace, peace for ourselves, peace for our neighbours, peace for the world. And with that peace we can start the process of national renewal," said Sirleaf.

"Your visit reinforces to all of our people the United States' friendship. It gives them hopes, it says finally we are getting some attention."

Clinton, who has already visited South Africa , Lesotho, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda and Ethiopia in recent days, left Monrovia for home late Monday.

Africa is home to around a tenth of the world's population, but accounts for 60 percent of those suffering from HIV-AIDS.