A formal offer was made to the 55-state group on Saturday during the meeting in New Delhi.
The G20 group of top economies now officially includes the African Union (AU) as a member. At the bloc’s meeting on Saturday in New Delhi, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the statement.
The European Union, which was the only regional organisation with complete membership, and the AU now share the same status. The earlier status for the African Union was “invited international organisation.”
Following Modi’s opening remarks, Azali Assoumani, the head of the African Union, took a seat with other world leaders. “With everyone’s approval, I request the AU head to take his seat as a permanent G20 member,” Modi remarked.
The African Union, which was established in 1999, is made up of 55 nations on the continent and covers almost all of it. The member states together decide on important political and economic issues. Eliminating “the remaining vestiges of colonisation and apartheid” and fostering solidarity among its members are two of the AU’s primary goals. Until recently, South Africa was the only G20 member from Africa.
Senegalese President Macky Sall was the first to support the notion of the AU holding a permanent seat at the G20. He stated before the UN General Assembly in September 2022 that the change would allow “Africa to, at last, be represented where decisions are taken that affect 1.4 billion Africans.”
