WASHINGTON - PRESIDENT Barack Obama's popularity in leading Arab countries far outstrips that of the United States, suggesting he could be able to boost goodwill in the region toward his country, a survey showed on Sunday.

President Obama, set to give a major speech to the Muslim world in Egypt next month, 'currently enjoys widespread optimism among citizens of that region that he will have a positive effect on their own country, the Middle East, the United States and indeed the world,' the polling outfit Ipsos said.

Ipsos said its poll, conducted in March, involved 7,000 adults in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Lebanon, Egypt and Jordan.

Of those surveyed, 33 per cent had a favourable view of the United States, 43 per cent had a negative view, 14 per cent were neutral and 10 per cent said they did not know, Ipsos said.

In contrast, President Obama received favourable ratings averaging 48 per cent in the region as a whole. Approval ran as high as 58 per cent in Jordan and was lowest among Egyptians, who gave President Obama favourable ratings of 35 per cent, Ipsos said.

Only 22 per cent of Egyptians expressed a favourable view of the United States, the lowest of the six countries surveyed.

Regionwide, only one in 10 residents thought President Obama would have a negative effect on their country, the poll showed.

The White House announced on Friday that President Obama would deliver a much-anticipated speech to the Muslim world in Egypt on June 4, seeking to repair ties that were damaged under his predecessor George W. Bush.

Many Arab and Muslim nations were angered by the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, harsh interrogation of terrorism suspects at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, abuse of prisoners in Iraq and Bush's initial reluctance to pursue Israeli-Palestinian peace.

Ipsos said the survey had a margin of error ranging from 2.6 to 3 percentage points depending on the country. -- REUTERS