OBAMA WILL HOST JONATHAN COME WEDNESDAY

United States President Barack Obama will receive President Goodluck Jonathan at the White House, Washington DC on Wednesday, June 8.

A statement from the Office of the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President on Saturday, said Jonathan would arrive in New York to participate at the summit on HIV/AIDS and the impact of the pandemic on international peace and security.

He will also participate in the inauguration of the Global Plan for Elimination of HIV Mother-To-Child Transmission project with former United States President Bill Clinton on June 9 in New York before returning to Nigeria on Friday, June 10.

Nigeria is currently one of the nine non-permanent members of the UN Security Council and Jonathan is to participate in one of the Security Council sessions that may decide on a second term for the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon.

Twelve foreign leaders mostly from Africa have confirmed their participation at the HIV/AIDS Summit.

However, Empowered Newswire, quoting Nigeria Ambassador to the US, Prof. Adebowale Adefuye, also confirmed the invitation.

The envoy said the invitation was, America’s recognition of the strategic importance of Nigeria to the fulfillment of US global objectives.

He stated that the US President and government had realised that “Nigeria now has a president who delivers on his promises,” recalling that last year when Jonathan met with Obama in Washington DC at the Nuclear Security summit conveyed by the US president, both presidents discussed the need for a free and fair elections in Nigeria.

The visit which is Jonathan’s first to White House will, according to Adefuye, “cement the increasing collaboration and cooperation that is existing between Nigeria and the US since President Jonathan took over last year.”

Although Jonathan visited the US and met with Obama last year during the Nuclear Security summit, the meeting was held at the Washington Convention centre and not in the White House.