Ivanka Trump lands in Africa to promote U.S. jobs plan for women

[April 15, 2019]    ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Ivanka Trump began a four-day tour of Africa on Sunday to promote a $50 million United States initiative aimed at encouraging women's employment in developing countries.

White House Advisor Ivanka Trump attends a meeting with women from the coffee industry during her visit to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia April 14, 2019. REUTERS/Tiksa Negeri

"Fundamentally we believe that investing in women is a smart development policy and it is a smart business," White House adviser Trump said after drinking coffee and inhaling incense at a traditional Ethiopian ceremony in Addis Ababa.

The Women's Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP) initiative aims to economically empower 50 million women by 2025. President Donald Trump, Ivanka's father, has directed USAID to allocate an initial $50 million to the fund.

Ivanka Trump is due to take part in a World Bank policy summit and then visit Ivory Coast to promote female entrepreneurs in the country's cocoa industry.

(Reporting by Kumerra Gemechu; Writing by Hereward Holland; Editing by Alexander Smith)

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