President Barack Obama meets with Prime Minister Beji Caid Essebsi of Tunisia in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, Friday, Oct. 7, 2011.

President Barack Obama is showing support for Tunisia’s transition to democracy by opening the Oval Office to the North African country’s newly elected president.

Beji Caid Essebsi was elected in December. He is scheduled to meet with Obama at the White House on Thursday.

Tunisians overthrew their former dictator in 2011, launching pro-democracy uprisings across the region in what became known as the Arab Spring.

The White House says Obama plans to underscore the U.S. commitment to strengthening relations with Tunisia following Essebsi’s election.

The leaders are expected to discuss the transition to democracy, security issues and economic reforms, along with instability in Libya and terrorist threats.

A terrorist attack in March at Tunisia’s National Bardo Museum killed 22 people, mostly foreign tourists. The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group claimed responsibility.

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