Grammy award-winning Shakira was in Washington to sign a $US300 million ($A333.59 million) initiative with the World Bank aimed at helping young children in Latin America and the Caribbean, and stopped by the White House on Monday to meet officials."

After her meeting, she briefly stopped by to say hello to the president, and updated him on her work on the subject.

Said White House spokesman Benjamin Chang. Shakira, 33, is a UNICEF goodwill ambassador and has been involved in several charitable projects, including a school to help disadvantaged youths in her home city of Barranquilla.