Adviser to the White House, businesswoman, and eldest daughter of US President Donald Trump, Ivanka Trump kickstarted a global business summit in Hyderabad on Tuesday, making a call for better opportunities for women entrepreneurs. Speaking at the US-backed Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES), she said, “Women still face steep obstacles to starting, owning, and growing their businesses. We must ensure women entrepreneurs have access to capital, access to networks and mentors,” she said to loud cheers. The 36 year old said 70 per cent of women-owned smaller businesses were being denied access to capital in developing countries, resulting in a near $300 billion annual credit deficit for them.
The brainchild of former US President Barack Obama, the GES has been previously held in the USA and Turkey. This was the first time the three-day event was held in India. This year's theme of the conference is 'Women First, Prosperity for All'. Over half the participants at the summit are women. Countries like Afghanistan, Israel and Saudi Arabia have sent all-female delegations to represent the countries. Dressed in a bright green floral dress, Ivanka said fuelling the growth of women-owned businesses and closing the gender entrepreneurship gap could help expand global GDP by 2 per cent. The fashion designer was quite generous on Modi in her keynote speech, and showered lavish praise on him.
Ivanka described him as one who is “doing to build India as a thriving economy, a beacon of democracy, and a symbol of hope to the world.” She added, “What you are achieving is truly extraordinary... from your childhood selling tea to election as India's Prime Minister. Through your own enterprise, entrepreneurship and hard work, the people of India have lifted more than 130 million citizens out of poverty- a remarkable improvement, and one I know will continue to grow under the leadership of Prime Minister. Here in India, I want to applaud Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his firm belief that 'the progress of humanity is incomplete without the empowerment of women'.”
The importance of her maiden official visit to the country was evident in the numerous billboards that dotted several parts of Hyderabad. The city is home to major US firms and serves as an IT hub. A major clean-up drive was launched prior to her visit, with authorities taking beggars away from the streets. More than 10,000 police officials were deployed in the city and sniffer dogs along with spotters were on duty. On the sidelines of the meet, Ivanka held talks with Modi, assuring that the US wanted strong bilateral relations with India. She also met Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.
“This event not only connects the Silicon Valley with Hyderabad but also showcases the close ties between the United States of America and India. It underlines our shared commitment towards encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation,” Modi said. He talked about Atal innovation mission and Mentor India initiative, undertaken by the government to encourage innovation and enterprise among youth. “The power to think differently and ahead of the times for the betterment of mankind is what sets entrepreneurs apart. I see that power in India's young generation. I see 800 million potential entrepreneurs who can work towards making this world a better place,” he said
