Carney said Obama would meet President Thein Sein, who has taken steps towards ending Burma's isolation through economic and political reforms, and with the Nobel peace prize laureate. But he would also "speak to civil society to encourage Burma's ongoing democratic transition".
The unspoken aim of the visit, though, will be to attempt to drive a wedge between Burma and its erstwhile diplomatic and military ally, China.
The Obama visit, lasting only a few hours, has already been criticised by human rights activists who say that Burma remains a repressive society and that Washington should not rush to normalise relations.
The President would also discuss energy and security co-operation, human rights and other issues of regional and global concern during his swing through the region, Carney said. Obama will attend the East Asia summit in the Cambodian capital and the annual meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).
Outgoing Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao and President Vladimir Putin of Russia will also be at the summit.
Their presence will ensure that the three leaders have the opportunity of discussing prospects of a deal with Iran over its nuclear programme.
Russia and China are part of the so-called 5+1 negotiations between the big powers and Iran aimed at curbing Iran's suspected nuclear weapons programme.
Obama's re-election is seen by the Iranians as a "positive development", said Iranian scholar Emad Kiyaei, who also noted that "the taboo of dealing directly with the Americans has been removed".
But the window of opportunity for reaching a deal will close next March, he said, as Iran prepares for a presidential election in June.
During the presidential campaign, Obama said he wanted to bring jobs back to America by increasing trade. The Administration has, meanwhile, been rebalancing its strategic posture in Asia to counter the growing threat from China.
In June, Defence Secretary Leon Panetta told the region that by 2020, the US Navy would have repostured its forces from today's 50-50 per cent split between the Pacific and Atlantic to about a 60-40 split.
How to deal with China was one of the burning topics of the presidential debates during the election campaign.
Mitt Romney, the unsuccessful Republican candidate, pledged to declare China a "currency manipulator" on day one of his presidency, if elected. However, Obama has preferred to take trade disputes with China to the World Trade Organisation.
With the Chinese Communist Party Congress under way at the moment in Beijing, Obama is also likely to seek indications from Wen about China's future path.
