In a significant development, the African Union, a group of 55 countries from the continent, is all set to join the G20 group as its 21st member and only the second group after the European Union. Inclusion has been one of the priority agendas of the draft leaders’ declaration that is being negotiated by the G20 officials.

Following a request from the AU, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the month of June, wrote to his counterparts in G20 countries, raising the importance of giving full membership to the AU. The membership bid also has been viewed as an outreach to the African continent by India as a part of its presidential plan for the summit.

There has been a unanimous consensus among all the members with regard to including AU as a member of G20. Although, it is unlikely that G20 will be renamed as G21. The process of membership will be completed during the next G20 summit in Brazil.

The current G20 countries account for around 85% of global GDP, more than 75% of global commerce, and almost two-thirds of the worldwide population. The incorporation of the African Union is projected to offer African nations a stronger voice in addressing global concerns such as climate change, sustainable development, and debt restructuring.

On the sidelines of the G20, the EU will hold meetings with leaders of the AU states in attendance, as a part of their outreach to the Global South.

New Delhi, with a view of promoting the voice of the Global South in the bloc, has also invited nine non-member countries, including Bangladesh, Singapore, Spain, and Nigeria, and international organizations such as the United Nations, World Health Organization, the World Bank, and the IMF on the 9th and 10th September Summit.

-Anushka Upadhyay