India’s G20 Presidency on Saturday witnessed a transformative change with the induction of the African Union as a permanent member of the grouping, a move which will strengthen the G20 and also strengthen the voice of the Global South, of which India has been a staunch advocate. “The African Union has been made a permanent member of the Group of 20 countries,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday in opening remarks at the 18th G20 Leaders’ Summit, as he invited the AU, represented by Chairperson Azali Assouman, to take a seat at the table of G20 leaders as a permanent member.
Bringing in the African Union—a bloc of 55 countries from the African continent that was launched in 2002—as a member of G20, has been a key India objective to fructify during the ongoing G20 summit. In June 2023, Modi said that he had written to G20 counterparts to provide the African Union with full membership at this G20 Summit. The move has since been gaining traction with Minister of Commerce & Industry Piyush Goyal making a strong pitch for India and Africa to work together to build more robust, diverse and resilient supply chains, redefine the parameters of engagement and explore newer sectors for cooperation, at a recent industry conclave on the India-Africa growth partnership, organised by EXIM Bank and CII.
https://sundayguardianlive.com/news/indias-g20-presidency-opens-up-trade-opportunities-to-african-union-as-a-permanent-member
India’s G20 Presidency opens up trade opportunities to African Union as a permanent member
