Ivanka Trump speaks at W20 summit in Berlin

Ivanka Trump has taken part in a panel discussion at the W20 summit, alongside German Chancellor Angela Merkel and IMF Director Christine Lagarde. The eldest daughter of US President Donald Trump was invited to the German capital by Merkel, who will host her for dinner during her stay, The Hill reported.

She is set to take part in various discussions at the W20 summit, in particular on women's entrepreneurship – a subject she has been praised for taking part in by her father.

President Trump commented on his daughter's trip on social media site Twitter, writing: "Proud of @IvankaTrump for her leadership on these important issues. Looking forward to hearing her speak at the W20!"

The Republican's inclusion of his daughter as an unofficial White House staffer had prompted criticism, which resulted in her being offered the official role of a federal employee at the end of March.

Topics for debate at W20 include the "labour force participation of women, equal pay, women in managerial positions, the compatibility of family and career, the evaluation of gainful employment and care work, female entrepreneurship, access to the capital market and closing the digital gender divide".

The White House said of the move in a statement: "Ivanka's service as an unpaid employee furthers our commitment to ethics, transparency, and compliance and affords her increased opportunities to lead initiatives driving real policy benefits for the American public that would not have been available to her previously."

Her trip to Germany is her first international visit since Trump's inauguration, and follows her recent opinion piece in The Financial Times, co-authored by World Bank President Jim Yong Kim, in which she argues in favour of a reduction of the gender pay gap – a topic she will address at the W20.