Washington  - US President Barack Obama will host Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen at the White House March 17 to mark Saint Patrick's Day, a spokesman said Thursday.

The meeting keeps with the annual tradition of the celebrating the holiday at the White House with Ireland's leader and marking the rich history between the two countries, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said.

"The president is committed to strengthening our partnership with Ireland to address global challenges," he said. (dpa)