The African Union (AU) on Saturday formally joined the Group of 20 top global economies, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced.
Modi at the gathering of the group shook hands with the AU chair, Comoros President Azali Assoumani, gave him a warm hug and invited him to sit at the table.
“I invite the representative of the African Union to take his place as a permanent member of the G20,” the Indian Prime minister announced, before banging his gavel three times to applause in the room.
The G20 is an elite group of the world’s most powerful and significant economies with it members representing 85 percent of global GDP. It represents 75 percent of international trade and two-thirds of the world’s population.
The G20 Summit is presently holding in New Delhi, India–the first time it would be held in South Asia.
American President Joe Biden, the British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and France President Emmanuel Macron are attending the summit which ends on September 10.
The G20 is made up of 19 countries and the European union. Member countries are the US, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Britain, Canada, China, the European Union, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea and Turkey.
Some of the topical issues being discussed are food security, debt restructuring for developing countries and climate change.
