In a historic move, the African Union officially became a member of the Group of Twenty (G20) during the summit held in the Indian capital, New Delhi, on Saturday.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his opening address, declared, “With everyone’s consent, I request the African Union Chairman to take his place as a permanent member of the G20.”
Following this announcement, the African Union Chairman joined the leaders of the G20 member nations.
“The world is facing an immense crisis of trust. War has deepened this lack of trust. Just as we can overcome COVID, we can also overcome this crisis of mutual trust,” Modi emphasized.
As a result of this development, the African Union, representing 55 member states, will enjoy the same status as the European Union, the only other regional bloc with full membership in the G20.
The current status of the European Union within the G20 is that of an “invited international organization.”
The draft declaration states, “We welcome the African Union as a permanent member of the G20 and believe that its inclusion in the group will significantly contribute to addressing global challenges in our era.”
Other issues addressed during the summit include providing additional loans to developing countries by multilateral institutions, reforming the structure of international debt, regulations related to cryptocurrencies, and the geopolitical impact on food and energy security.
