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Ivanka Trump visits Merkel

April 25, 2017

It was Angela Merkel's idea to invite Ivanka Trump to the G20 Women's Summit. The daughter of the US president will discuss the promotion of women entrepreneurs in Berlin. But what does Germany's Chancellor have in mind?

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Deutschland Ivanka Trump W20 Gipfel in Berlin
Image: Reuters/F. Bensch

Ivanka Trump will only spend a few hours in Berlin, but there is always a guarantee of attention. It's not just because the 35-year-old has a great glamor factor, but it is her immediate proximity to US President Donald Trump, who is known to always have an open ear for his daughter, which also makes Ivanka politically so interesting. Just like her highly-influential husband Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump is a White House adviser. "First Daughter and Assistant to the President of the United States" is the travel announcement issued by the White House before the visit to Germany by Ivanka.

Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel was immediately able to feel just how far the powers of Ivanka Trump go on her visit to Washington, just six weeks ago. Before a discussion in front of US president with several White House economists, in which Ivanka Trump participated - she had arranged the table order so that Merkel was assigned the place next to her. The two women obviously understood each other quite well. "There was a pleasant conversation situation," said German deputy government spokesman Georg Streiter.

Discussion about women entrepreneurs

Apparently it was so pleasant for Merkel to reach out to Ivanka Trump to invite her to the G20 Women's Summit in Berlin. It wasn't personal, of course, but there was a "hint" to the organizers of the conference, the Association of German Women Entrepreneurs and the German Women's Council, said Streiter. Germany has the presidency of the G20 this year.

The panel comprises of the 19 most important economic nations plus the European Commission. At the start of July, the G20 heads of state and government will meet in Hamburg. The summit has been preparing on a ministerial level for weeks, and in addition, conferences are held on various topics. For example, this week, there is the economic summit "Business20", and also the women's summit "Women20".

Logo der deutschen G20 Präsidentschaft
Image: Bundesregierung

Ivanka Trump will participate in a one-half-hour discussion in Berlin on the promotion of women entrepreneurs. On the podium will be Chancellor Merkel, IMF director Christine Lagarde, the Dutch Queen Maxima, Canada's foreign minister Chrystia Freeland, as well as German entrepreneur and Trumpf CEO Nicola Leibinger-Kammüller.

The daughter to reach the father

Angela Merkel, who is responsible for the discussion, was attaching "great importance to the meeting, said Streiter. However, it was unlikely, but not impossible, that there would be a talk between the chancellor and the "First Daughter," he noted. "It is not planned, but you never know."

On the other hand, Angela Merkel will make sure that Ivanka Trump has some positive impressions of Germany going back to Washington. Perhaps they reach the ear of the President. Up to now, the President is quite familiar yet with the German government the economic strength of the country.

It can not hurt to explain to daughter Ivanka the foundations of the German success model. Siemens CEO Joe Kaeser has therefore invited her to look at a dual training center in Berlin. As a member of the economic delegation accompanying the Chancellor, Kaeser was also on board six weeks ago in Washington.

Merkel and Trump at the Oval Office

Germany, an example for the United States?

Ivanka Trump is quite interested. Germany was an "absolute pioneer" in vocational training, she told the German business newspaper Wirtschaftswoche ahead of her trip. The German system was a "practical, successful example of a genuine public-private partnership," which combined vocational training and professional practice in companies. The US could "learn a lot from Germany" in its plans to create more apprenticeships, said Trump.

Angela Merkel will be happy to hear that.