Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has proposed to admit the African Union (AU) as a member of the Group of 20 (G20), a consortium of the world’s largest economies.
The G20, composed of 19 member countries and the European Union, including the likes of the USA, China, Canada, the UK, Saudi Arabia and the European Union has long been a significant platform for global economic discussions and policy coordination.
South Africa currently stands as the sole African representative within the G20. However, Narendra Modi believes that the inclusion of the African Union would mark a substantial step toward addressing the underrepresentation of African nations in international economic forums.
In December of last year, U.S. President Joe Biden voiced his support for the African Union’s permanent membership in the G20, emphasizing that it was “long overdue.”
In addition to his call for AU inclusion, Prime Minister Modi asserted India’s pivotal role in mitigating supply chain disruptions that have plagued the global economy, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He championed India as the solution to establishing a more robust and dependable global supply chain system, positioning it as a formidable competitor to China in manufacturing and trade.
“The world has undergone a significant transformation both before and after the pandemic. We can no longer view the global supply chain in the same light as before. In these challenging times, I want to reassure the world that India holds the key to solving these supply chain dilemmas,” Modi said.