African Union becomes permanent member of G20

Tags: Summits

African leaders expressed unanimous support for the G20's decision to admit the African Union as a permanent member of the grouping.

An Overview of the News

• During the 18th G20 meeting in New Delhi, India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially announced the induction of the African Union (AU) as the 21st permanent member.

• AU Commission Chair Moussa Faki Mahamat accepted Africa's full membership in the G20.

• South African President and former AU Chair Cyril Ramaphosa was among the first to support the decision.

• Prior to this decision, the G20 had only granted observer status to the African Union since its establishment in 1999 in response to global economic crises.

African Union (AU):-

• The African Union (AU) is a continental union of 55 member states in Africa.

• The AU was officially launched on 9 July 2002 in Durban, South Africa.

• Its main purpose was to replace the Organization of African Unity (OAU), which began on 25 May 1963 in Addis Ababa and was dissolved on 9 July 2002.

• The Assembly of the African Union, a semi-annual meeting of heads of state and government of member states, makes the most important decisions within the AU.

• Chairman - Azali Assoumani

• Chairman of the Commission - Moussa Faki

• Parliamentary Speaker - Fortune Jade Charumbira

About G20

• It is an international forum of the world's leading economies established in 1999.

• Its primary objective is to promote international financial stability and sustainable economic growth.

• The G20 serves as a forum to discuss and coordinate policies related to a wide range of economic and financial issues such as trade, investment, employment, energy and climate change.

President of Kenya - William Ruto

President of Egypt - Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi