President Barack Obama invited French president-elect Francois Hollande to the White House later this month, expressing hope the pair would work "closely," a spokesman said Sunday. In a telephone call to congratulate Hollande on his election victory, Obama "indicated that he looks forward to working closely with Mr Hollande and his government on a range of shared economic and security challenges," White House spokesman Jay Carney said in a statement. Obama and Hollande "each reaffirmed the important and enduring alliance between the people of the United States and France," the statement read.