Inside look at Ivanka Trump’s 4-day Africa trip

Last week, Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump visited Ethiopia and Ivory Coast as part of a major push for women’s economic empowerment across the developing world.

Two months ago, the Trump Administration launched the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity Initiative, or W-GDP, in a first-of-its-kind move to boost women’s participation and advancement in the global workforce. W-GDP seeks to reach 50 million women in the developing world by 2025.

“The economic empowerment of women shouldn’t be viewed as a ‘women’s issue,’” Ms. Trump wrote then. “By investing in women, we are investing in a future in which countries can support themselves by unleashing the potential of their own people.”

Watch: Ivanka Trump’s visit to Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, Ms. Trump addressed female leaders and entrepreneurs at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, where she announced the launch of OPIC 2X Africa. In partnership with the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, this W-GDP initiative will help mobilize $1 billion to support projects led by women in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Part two of the trip took her to Ivory Coast, where the U.S. delegation announced a $2 million commitment to women workers in the cocoa industry. The investment will open more doors for female farmers by increasing access to capital and training programs. Ms. Trump met some of these entrepreneurs at a local cocoa farm.

Before heading home, Ms. Trump delivered a keynote address at the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi) Summit. During President Trump’s first year in office, America became a founding member of We-Fi, and in the organization’s first year, it allocated $120 million toward projects that help female entrepreneurs globally.

“Societies that empower women to succeed are more peaceful and more prosperous. And this is evident in all the research that we see,” Ms. Trump says.

A closer look inside Ivanka Trump’s trip to Ivory Coast

Add $60+ billion for America under President Trump’s new trade deal

One of President Trump’s signature promises was to get America out of bad trade deals—and negotiate brand-new ones that finally benefit our great workers. Late last year, the President delivered on that pledge in a big way when he signed the U.S.–Mexico–Canada Trade Agreement (USCMA), replacing the outdated NAFTA.

The USMCA will make life better for American workers by “bringing back our manufacturing jobs, expanding American agriculture, protecting intellectual property, and ensuring that more cars are proudly stamped with four beautiful words: made in the USA,” President Trump said during his second State of the Union Address.

A new report from the International Trade Commission backs the President up, explaining that the new agreement will add $68.2 billion to America’s economy while creating 176,000 new jobs. “The agreement would likely have a positive impact on all broad industry sectors within the U.S. economy,” the report says. “Manufacturing would experience the largest percentage gains in output, exports, wages, and employment.”

The evidence is quickly making clear that USMCA will offer a bright future for the U.S. economy once Congress enacts it. The question now: How much longer will Washington make our workers wait?

Headlines: USMCA will boost economic growth and create jobs

Video of the day: Ivanka Trump in Ivory Coast

“Wonderful and productive visit to Côte d'Ivoire!” Ivanka Trump tweeted last week as she returned home from a four-day trip to Africa, where she promoted women’s economic empowerment in the developing world.