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Africa: Obama to Visit Accra in July, Egypt in June

Washington, DC — U.S. President Barrack Obama will visit Ghana July 10 and 11 at the conclusion of a trip that will also take him to Russia and Italy, the White House announced Saturday.

The trip will come a month after Obama's scheduled visit to Egypt to deliver an address on U.S. relations with the Muslim world.

The White House statement about the Ghana trip gave no details of the visit beyond saying "the President will discuss a range of bilateral and regional issues with Ghanaian President Mills." John Atta Mills assumed office two weeks before Obama in January, after a narrow victory over the ruling party candidate in the country's fifth multi-party presidential election since 1992.

"The President and Mrs. Obama look forward to strengthening the U.S. relationship with one of our most trusted partners in sub-Saharan Africa, and to highlighting the critical role that sound governance and civil society play in promoting lasting development," the White House statement said.

The choice of Ghana as Obama's first port of call in sub Saharan Africa will be a disappointment to many in Nigeria who regard their country, with its large population and strategic role as a major oil producer, as the continent's leader and most important U.S. ally.

Before traveling to Cairo for his June 4 speech, Obama will meet with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak at the White House. Mubarak's visit on May 26-27 will be his first to Washington in five years.

Obama will travel to Ghana after taking part in the G-8 Summit in L'Aquila, Italy and spending two days in Moscow as guest of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.


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Comments 1 to 4 of 4 Post a comment

  • tewin
    May 17 2009, 02:07

    What an insult to Nigeria. As a Nigerian, I feel personally insulted and offended. This goes to buttress what we have been saying all along, Nigeria should put its house in order. The decision by Obama is right of course and certainly echoes the comments made by Oprah a while back. Why the hell should he associate himself and the US government with a directionless leader that came to power through a rigged election and worse still, an internationally recognised corrupt country and government?

    Guys, we all know we can do better and that the people of Nigeria certainly deserve better. We can not and must be insulted this way as a nation. Now, this does not mean that we must kowtow whatever the US says, rather, we must ensure that we always claim and hold the moral high ground in our dealings and affiliations with ourselves and the world at large, at all times.

  • rafil
    May 17 2009, 06:09

    Big slap on the face for Africa,s most populous nation. This came about because there are people who don,t care about the public image of the country and by extension the welfare of their fellow citizens,I don,t care if Obama recognises the greatness inherent in Nigeria,I only care about the collective efforts of Polit-criminals with support from the EUROPE and US making that truly great land a laughing stock in the eyes of the world. Obama, Nigerians should not be insulted this way because of the sins of their wayward and ignorant rulers who,ve been dully propped up by the very same country of which you,re now president.If you like, all through your term in office don,t bother to visit,we won,t loose sleep over it, what we,ll always loose sleep over is the continued support these very same people have and continues to get from the imperialists of which you,re now head, to harm the peace loving people of Nigeria,economically,socially, politically, that,s what you should urgently seek ways to change if you,re to get any support for your not yet specified policy direction with regard to Africa. Africom is not welcomed on our soil because we believe it,s anti African and wholeheartedly reject it,even if you go beg Ghana to allow it, we still reject it for reasons bordering on history and for the future stability of our continent,no Africom on our soil.

  • CAPTAIN GODO
    May 18 2009, 15:07

    Tewin,why are u so disappointed that obama is not coming to nigeria,look the whole world is tired of nigeria and their funny superlatives:giant of africa,most populous black on earth,that is all bull-shit,the world had waited for us enough,and they just have to move on and look for another leadership from africa,they were looking to south-africa, however they too had started on the path of gloom,by voting their new real african leader.if iam in obama shoe i would do the same,the truth is very bitter but we must admit it no body respect nigeria again in the committe of nations except perphaps if they want a troope to war ravage zones like daffur or somali which our poverty stricken soldiers and their greedy comanders are ready to die like cock-roach.see forget nigeria their is nothing to talk about again.

  • clarkandreson
    Apr 29 2010, 06:07

    I am glad that Mr. Obama, while acknowledging America's commitment to Israel, did not exclude Palestinian people's right to a land of their own. Obama's speech was a call to lovers of justice that we do not have to adopt the racist, Ashkenazim, anti-dark-skin culture that is taught in the Talmud's Sanhedrin

    Clark ccna USA