US President Barack Obama welcomed Australia’s Prime Minister Julia Gillard for her first official White House visit yesterday, praising the sacrifices of a key Pacific ally in the Afghan war.

Ms Gillard opened a visit to Washington which will include a key speech to US business leaders, expected to call for bold US economic leadership and a fight against protectionism, and an address to a joint session of the US Congress.

The two leaders said they discussed the uprisings in the Middle East, key Asia-Pacific security and economic issues and the fact their nations were “great mates” linked by a pioneering spirit and love of the outdoors.

Mr Obama praised Australia’s “extraordinary contribution” to the war in Afghanistan, noting it had paid a heavy price with the largest contingent of forces of any non-Nato member of the coalition.

“We have no stronger ally than Australia,” Mr Obama said, after the Oval Office talks, marking the 60th anniversary of the formal alliance between the two nations.

Ms Gillard agreed that fighting in Afghanistan was “hard” but said she was personally committed to the mission, which Obama says will begin to transition control to Afghan forces later this year.

She also said she had talked to Mr Obama about the need to maintain the G20 summit of developed and developing nations as a driver of economic growth and job creation.