By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Analyst

July 2, 2009 – Next week President Obama and the first lady will travel to Russia, Italy and Ghana where they will meet, greet, and dine with heads of state and deliver a series of addresses laying out his foreign policy. 

The White House offered up a preview of the trip that will begin July 6 in Moscow and end with a tour of the capital of Ghana and a speech on development and democracy. 

The overall reaching goal for this trip will be to focus on economic, political, and global issues important to the United States and members of the G-8.  Some of those issues include climate control, non-proliferation, and assessments of the global economic climate.

 Obama wants to “reset relations” with Russia his aids say and hopes to emerge from a Moscow summit with progress toward reducing both nations’ nuclear arsenals and changing the way the Russian people view the United States.

In Russia, Italy and Ghana the president is expected to talk about a large range of issues including climate change, international trading systems and food safety.  Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for African Affairs Michelle Gavin said it’s important Africa is also at the table.  

Africa needs to be “integrated in global and foreign policy,” Gavin said.  Ghana is important to this trip she said because the country has demonstrated strong governance, economic development and stability.  She praised their last election where “power transferred peacefully,” she said.

The president and First Lady Michelle Obama will arrive in Ghana on July 11 and will tour the capital city Accra.  Obama will meet with the Ghana’s newley elected President Atta Mills and is expected to deliver a speech highlighting the country’s improvement in over-all governance.