Ivanka Trump, Sushma Swaraj Discuss Women Empowerment in New York

Ivanka Trump, the daughter and advisor of US President Donald Trump, met Indian Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj on the sidelines of the Annual UN General Assembly session in New York on Sept. 18. The two discussed women entrepreneurship and workforce development in the United States and India.

The meeting between Swaraj and Trump is considered significant, as the latter will be leading the American delegation to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in India in November.

“We had a great discussion on women’s entrepreneurship, the upcoming #GES2017 and workforce development in the US and India,” Trump Ivanka after her meeting with Swaraj.

We had a great discussion on women’s entrepreneurship, the upcoming #GES2017 and workforce development in the US and India. #UNGA https://t.co/mnc6sHKYBf

— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) September 18, 2017

She also expressed her respect towards the Indian politician, and described her as a ‘charismatic’ foreign minister.

I have long respected India’s accomplished and charismatic Foreign Minister @SushmaSwaraj, and it was an honor to meet her today. #UNGA https://t.co/IeAfBCOETO

— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) September 18, 2017

Sushma Swaraj at the 72nd UN General Assembly

The 72nd UN General Assembly began on Sept. 18. Sushma Swaraj, the Indian representative in the Assembly, reached New York to attend the event. She held a high-level meeting with Rex Tillerson, the US Secretary of State, and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono. During the tri-lateral meeting, they exchanged their views on maritime security, connectivity, and proliferation issues.

“The ministers emphasized the need for ensuring freedom of navigation, respect for international law and peaceful resolution of disputes,” Raveesh Kumar, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, said in a statement. ”On connectivity initiatives, the importance of basing them on universally recognized international norms, prudent financing and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity was underlined.”

The trilateral meeting follows the joint statement issued by Narendra Modi and Shinzo Abe, the Prime Ministers of India and Japan, stating that they are pledged to strengthen trilateral ties with the United States. In their joint statement, Modi and Abe condemned the move of North Korea that will destabilize the peace in the area. The issue is significant for the United States and Japan, in view of the aggressive posturing by the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Swaraj also met Tunisian Foreign Minister Khemaies Jhinaoui, Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, Danish Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Haseena, and UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdulah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Last engagement of an active day of diplomacy, EAM @SushmaSwaraj meets with the Foreign Minister of Denmark @anderssamuelsen pic.twitter.com/UTzjL0kyTq

— Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) September 18, 2017

On Sept. 19, Swaraj will attend a high-level roundtable conference on climatic change. She will also participate in a meeting on UN reforms hosted by US President Donald Trump.

Swaraj is expected to attend 20 bilateral meetings as a part of this visit. She will address the UN General Assembly on Sept. 23.