The African Union will become a permanent member of the Group of 20 (G20), India’s prime minister Narendra Modi declared on Saturday as he opened a summit of world leaders for the richest countries in New Delhi.
As other leaders cheered and watched, Modi made an invitation for Azali Assoumani, the chair of the African Union, to take a place at the table as a permanent member of the organisation.
As long-standing differences over Russia’s conflict in Ukraine continue to widen, Modi is convening world leaders in New Delhi to discuss some of the most urgent issues, such as the world’s economic woes and the climate crisis, which requires immediate action from the richest countries in the world.
In his opening remarks, Modi said, “Today, as the President of the G20, India calls upon the world to come together to transform the global trust deficit into one of trust and reliance.”
“Now is the moment for us to all go forward together… We need to find a lasting solution to these issues for future generations, whether it is the gap between North and South, the separation between East and West, the control of food and fuel, terrorism, cyber security, health, energy, or water security.
The 55 member states that make up the nations that make up the African continent are collectively known as the African Union.