At the invitation of Prime Minister Julia Gillard, U.S. President Barack Obama will visit Australia Nov. 16 and 17 in connection with the 60th anniversary of the ANZUS alliance, which plays a critical role in the security of the entire Asia-Pacific region.

A White House statement said the visit will immediately follow the APEC meeting hosted by Obama in Hawaii and will provide the two leaders an opportunity to build on the APEC agenda and expand bilateral cooperation to increase global economic growth, trade and jobs.

"Australia is one of the United States' closest allies and our troops have served together bravely in Afghanistan and conflict zones throughout the world," the statement said.

"The president looks forward to consulting closely with the prime minister on global and regional issues in preparation for the East Asia Summit to be held later that week in Bali, Indonesia," it added.

The Australian reported that this will be Obama's third attempt to visit Australia after postponing it twice last year.

“The president’s visit will be an important opportunity to renew our close ties and take forward shared objectives, including restoring the health of the global economy and promoting growth and jobs, planning for transition in Afghanistan and developing strong institutions which can help address the region’s political, security and economic challenges," The Australian quoted Gillard as saying.

“In addition to its status as the world’s largest economy, the United States is Australia’s largest source of foreign investment and our third largest two-way trading partner,” she added.