Obama to host four African leaders next week

WASHINGTON, March 18 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama will meet with leaders of Sierra Leone, Senegal, Malawi and Cape Verde in Washington next week to discuss institutions and democracy building, the White House said on Monday.

Obama is scheduled to host Sierra Leone's President Ernest Bai Koroma, President Macky Sall of Senegal, President Joyce Banda of Malawi and Prime Minister Jose Maria Pereira Neves of Cape Verde at the White House on March 28.

"The United States has strong partnerships with these countries based on shared democratic values and shared interests," White House spokesman Jay Carney said in a statement.

"The five leaders will discuss strengthening democratic institutions across sub-Saharan Africa, and building on Africa's democratic progress to generate increased economic opportunities and expanded trade and investment," Carney said.

"The visit of these four leaders underscores the strategic importance the President places on building partnerships and substantive engagement with sub-Saharan Africa, and our commitment to working with strong and emerging African democracies," Carney added.

The White House unveiled a new strategy toward sub-Saharan Africa in June last year, as Obama predicted Africa "to be the world's next major economic success story."

The strategy sets forth four U.S. objectives in the region: to strengthen democratic institutions, spur economic growth, trade and investment, advance peace and security, and promote opportunity and development.

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