India’s G20 Summit is historic. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has endorsed inclusion throughout the presidency and it has now borne fruit. The G20 admitted a new permanent member at its New Delhi Summit on Saturday, the African Union.
Modi said India’s G20 presidency has become a symbol of inclusion, both inside and outside the country. To thunderous applause, he invited the African Union to join the grouping. The African Union, a continental body of 55 member states, will now get the same status as the European Union (EU), the only regional bloc with a full membership.
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The PM invited the head of the African Union Azali Assoumani to take his seat, as a permanent member of the G20 as the first session of the Summit begins. “With support from all of you, I invite the African Union to join the G20,” PM Modi said.
“In keeping with the sentiment of sabka saath (with everyone), India has proposed that the African Union should be given permanent membership of the G20. I believe we are all in agreement on this proposal.”
#WATCH | G 20 in India | Prime Minister Narendra Modi invites the Head of the African Union to take his seat, as a permanent member of the G20 as the first session of the Summit begins. pic.twitter.com/ueCe7pwNLS
— ANI (@ANI) September 9, 2023
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar escorted Assoumani to his seat. Following this, Modi and Assoumani shared a warm hug.
With the inclusion of the African Union in G20 , the group could now be renamed G21, according to news agency PTI.
We take a look at what this key bloc of the Global South is and the PM’s role in it gaining the G20 membership.
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What is the African Union?
The African Union (AU) is a continental body comprising 55 member states. It is considered the top-most grouping that represents the voice of its member states and has been working towards ensuring the progress and economic growth of the African nations.
The bloc was officially launched in 2002 as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity (1963-1999). It was formed on the lines of the European Union and like the EU has its own bank, a court of justice and even a parliament.
However, unlike the European grouping, it has its own force. Known as the African Standby Force, it is meant to keep peace.
The AU envisions “an Integrated, Prosperous and Peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena”.
It also aims to achieve greater unity and solidarity between African countries and their people; defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of its Member States; accelerate the political and socio-economic integration of the continent; promote and defend African common positions on issues of interest to the continent and its peoples; encourage international cooperation and promote peace, security, and stability on the continent.
The AU represents 1.3 billion people and has a combined GDP of around $3 trillion. It is headquartered in Ethiopia’s Addis Ababa and is led by Azali Assoumani, the president of the Union of Comoros.
How PM Modi has pushed to include AU in the G20
PM Modi has been endorsing the inclusion of African nations in the G20, making it one of the highlights of India’s presidency.
On Thursday, two days before the G20 Summit, he wrote in an article published widely in Indian and international media, “Our presidency has not only seen the largest-ever participation from African countries but has also pushed for the inclusion of the African Union as a permanent member of the G20”.
In a 3 September interview with news agency PTI, the Indian leader came out strongly in favour of the African Union gaining full membership of the G20. “Our affinity to Africa is natural. We have had millennia-old cultural and commerce ties with Africa. We have a shared history of movements against colonialism. As a youthful and aspirational nation ourselves, we also relate to the people of Africa and their aspirations. In the last few years, this relationship has got even stronger,” Modi said.
He added that Africa was a “top priority” within the G20 and pointed out that holding the Voice of the Global South summit, which had enthusiastic participation from Africa, was one of the first things India did during its presidency.
We are delighted that the #G20 has accepted the @_AfricanUnion as a member of the #G20.
— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) September 9, 2023
Global reconstruction in the wake of the #COVID19 pandemic presents a unique opportunity to accelerate the transition to low-carbon, climate resilient, sustainable societies.
Developing… pic.twitter.com/4u7ThqwRVq
The interview came months after Modi wrote a letter to G20 leaders suggesting the African Union be given full, permanent membership of the diplomatic group at the G20 Summit in India. The idea originated at the Voice of the Global South Summit held in January, which saw the participation of 54 African nations, according to a report in The Indian Express.
The letter was penned after a request from the AU. The bloc was advocating for full membership for seven years, its spokesperson Ebba Kalondo told The Associated Press (AP).
A source told Reuters that Modi’s proposal to grant the African Union full membership in the G20 demonstrates India’s commitment to strengthening Africa’s representation and partnership in shaping global affairs. “This will be a right step towards a just, fair, more inclusive and representative global architecture and governance,” the source said of the African Union proposal.
“(The) prime minister is a strong believer in having a greater Voice of the Global South countries on international platforms, particularly of African countries.”
What does G20 membership mean for Africa?
Until now South Africa was the only member of the G20. Now a permanent membership is a big opportunity for the continent with a young population of 1.3 billion people.
The AU’s 55 member states, which include the disputed Western Sahara, have pressed for meaningful roles in the global bodies that long represented a now faded post-World War II order, including the United Nations Security Council. They also want reforms to a global financial system, including the World Bank and other entities, that force African countries to pay more than others to borrow money, deepening their debt, reports AP.
Africa is increasingly courting investment and political interest from a new generation of global powers beyond the US and the continent’s former European colonisers. China is Africa’s largest trading partner and one of its largest lenders. Russia is its leading arms provider. Gulf nations have become some of the continent’s biggest investors. Turkey’s largest overseas military base and embassy are in Somalia. Israel and Iran are increasing their outreach in search of partners.
African leaders have impatiently challenged the framing of the continent as a passive victim of war, extremism, hunger and disaster that’s pressured to take one side or another among global powers. Some would prefer to be brokers, as shown by African peace efforts following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Granting the African Union membership in the G20 is a step that recognises the continent as a global power in itself, the report says.
With inputs from agencies
