G-20 admits African Union as permanent member at New Delhi summit
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The G-20 previously comprised 19 countries and the European Union.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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NEW DELHI – The African Union (AU) has been made a permanent member of the Group of 20 (G-20), comprising the world’s richest and most powerful countries, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at the bloc’s summit
The AU now has the same status as the European Union – the only regional bloc with a full membership. Its previous designation was “invited international organisation”.
Mr Modi, in his opening remarks at the summit, invited the AU, represented by chairman Azali Assoumani, to take a seat at the table of G-20 leaders as a permanent member.
“Honoured to welcome the African Union as a permanent member of the G-20 family. This will strengthen the G-20 and also strengthen the voice of the Global South,” said a message on Mr Modi’s official account on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
The move was proposed by Mr Modi in June. Reuters earlier cited the draft declaration admitting the AU as a permanent member.
The AU at full strength has 55 members, but six junta-ruled nations are currently suspended. Collectively, it has a gross domestic product of US$3 trillion (S$4 trillion), with some 1.4 billion people.
As for the G-20, the grouping included 19 countries and the EU, representing 85 per cent of the world gross domestic product, with South Africa its only member state from the continent.
“As a continent, we look forward to further advancing our aspirations on the global stage using the G-20 platform,” Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was at the summit, posted on X.
Meanwhile, AU Commission head Moussa Faki Mahamat said on Saturday the bloc’s entry into the G-20 will provide a “propitious framework” for the continent to make “its effective contribution” in aiding the world to meet global challenges. REUTERS, AFP
