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Obama to Host African Leaders Next Week

   VOA News  June 04, 2011
   Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan watches Nigeria troops parade
   during his inauguration ceremony at the main parade ground in Nigeria's
   capital of Abuja, May 29, 2011

Photo: AP

   Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan watches Nigeria troops parade
   during his inauguration ceremony at the main parade ground in Nigeria's
   capital of Abuja, May 29, 2011

   U.S. President Barack Obama is set to meet with two African leaders
   next week, while his wife and daughters prepare to travel to the
   continent later this month.
   The White House announced Saturday that Obama will meet newly sworn-in
   Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday. The statement said
   the two leaders will discuss the latest "regional and global
   developments" and their nations' "strong partnership."
   On Thursday, Obama will meet with Gabon's President Ali Bongo, who is
   heading the United Nations Security Council for June. It said Obama and
   Bongo will "advance" the partnership between their two countries on a
   range of critical regional and global issues.
   Earlier this week, the White House announced that first lady Michelle
   Obama will visit Botswana and South Africa from June 21-26 to promote
   youth leadership, education, health and wellness. Her two young
   daughters and her mother will accompany the first lady.
   The statement said the trip is part of the Obama administration's
   effort to expand ties with African nations "based upon mutual respect,
   mutual responsibility and shared interests."
   Jonathan's visit to Washington is less than two weeks after he was
   inaugurated, and as his country faces recovers from renewed violence.
   Although Nigeria's recent elections were praised as the fairest in
   Nigeria's history, the post-election violence was the worst ever. More
   than 800 people died in violence after Jonathan was declared the winner
   of the April presidential election. A series of explosions following
   his swearing-in ceremony killed at least 16 more people.
   Many from northern Nigeria's majority Muslim population believed
   someone from their region should be the next leader, after Jonathan's
   predecessor, a Muslim, died before completing his term.
   Nigeria's ruling People's Democratic Party has a tradition of rotating
   its presidential nominations between Muslims from the north and
   Christians from the south, like Jonathan. The country of 140 million is
   split almost evenly between the two religious groups.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP and AFP.