According to Duda’s chief of staff Krzysztof Szczerski, some "USD 400 billion sat at the table” in the prestigious Yale Club in New York where the meeting was held during the Polish president's three-day trip to the United States.
Szczerski was referring to the estimated combined assets of the companies whose CEOs Duda addressed at the meeting.
"It was a good business conversation with billions in the background," Szczerski told Polish Radio in an interview.
The president's conversation with investors focused on long-term investment in infrastructure, including projects as part of the so-called Three Seas Initiative promoted by Duda, according to Szczerski.
Polish science success
Later in the day, Duda met Polish scientists who have made it big in the United States. He thanked them for supporting their home country and for building a positive image of Poland across the world.
The meeting was attended by Poles working at American universities in various fields from mathematics to medicine and political science.
Talk with UN chief
As the next item on his US itinerary, Duda talked to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres about the priorities of Poland's upcoming non-permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council in 2018-2019. The two also discussed the situation in Ukraine and preparations for a UN climate conference in the southern Polish city of Katowice next year, according to reports.
During the meeting, President Duda reaffirmed Poland's support for plans to reform the United Nations to make the organisation more efficient, according to Polish Radio’s IAR news agency.
Red-carpet welcome from compatriots
Later on Wednesday, Duda met Polish Americans in Wallington, New Jersey, where he received a red-carpet welcome with the Polish version of “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.” He thanked the Polish community for representing Poland’s interests abroad.
More than half of Wallington’s residents have Polish roots.
Before the meeting, Duda laid a wreath at a monument honouring Kazimierz Pułaski, a Polish hero of the American Revolutionary War.
On Thursday, the third and last day of his trip to the United States, the Polish president is scheduled to visit the famous West Point military academy. The visit marks the bicentenary of the death of Polish-American liberty hero Tadeusz Kościuszko, officials have said.
Earlier during his US trip, Duda met US President Donald Trump and the leaders of countries including Ukraine’s Petro Poroshenko. He also delivered a speech at the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. (gs/pk)
Source: IAR