The African Union Becomes Permanent Member of G20
NEW DELHI — In a significant development, the African Union has been granted full permanent membership in the Group of 20 (G20), making it the second regional organization to achieve this status. The announcement was made by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the start of the two-day G20 leaders’ summit in Delhi.
This decision highlights India’s commitment to promoting the Global South’s interests during its G20 presidency. The 55-member African Union joins the European Union as the only regional organizations with permanent membership in the G20.
During his opening remarks, Prime Minister Modi emphasized the spirit of inclusion and togetherness that India’s G20 presidency represents. He stated, “It is in the spirit of together with all that India proposed permanent membership for the African Union in the G20.” Following the announcement, Modi warmly welcomed AU Chairperson Azali Assoumani, offering him a place at the conference table alongside other permanent members of the G20.
Weekend Agenda
The agenda for this weekend’s summit includes prioritizing climate action, addressing the impact of geopolitics on food and energy security, increasing loans to developing nations by multilateral institutions, reforming the global debt architecture, and establishing an international framework for cryptocurrencies.
Prime Minister Modi stated, “This is the time to give the world a new direction. We must approach our responsibilities with a human-centric approach and find innovative solutions to age-old challenges.”
India aims to convince countries in the Global South that its deepening strategic partnership with the United States offers a viable alternative across various areas, from food security to debt resolution.
Leaders attending the Delhi summit include Brazilian President Lula da Silva, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and U.S. President Joe Biden.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping are notably absent, as both countries objected to the wording concerning the war in Ukraine. Representing Russia and China are Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Premier Li Qiang, respectively.
The absence of Putin and Xi has raised concerns that a binding communique may not be issued at the end of the G20 leaders’ summit, potentially undermining India’s influence and domestic messaging.
Addressing the trust deficit in the post-pandemic world, Prime Minister Modi stated, “The world is facing a major crisis of trust, exacerbated by war. It is our responsibility to bridge this trust deficit.”
