The African Union’s Inclusion in the G20: A Significant Recognition of a Continent with 1 Billion Inhabitants
The inclusion of the African Union as a permanent member in the group of the world’s 20 leading economies is a significant recognition of Africa’s growing influence on the global stage, with its over 50 member countries seeking a more prominent role.
Last year, U.S. President Joe Biden advocated for the African Union’s permanent membership in the G20, describing it as a long-overdue development. During the G20 summit hosted by India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi warmly welcomed Comoros President Azali Assoumani, the current AU chair, with a hug, expressing his excitement.
Senegal President Macky Sall, the former AU chair who played a pivotal role in pushing for this membership, extended his congratulations to all of Africa. The African Union had been striving for full G20 membership for seven years, as stated by spokesperson Ebba Kalondo. Until this point, South Africa was the sole G20 member representing the African continent.
What does this historic development mean for Africa?
The permanent membership in the G20 signifies the rise of a continent with a young population of 1.3 billion that is projected to double by 2050, comprising a quarter of the world’s population.
The 55 member states of the African Union, including regions like the disputed Western Sahara, have been advocating for meaningful roles within global organizations that historically represented a post-World War II order, which has now evolved. They also seek reforms in the global financial system, including entities such as the World Bank, to address the disparities that burden African nations with higher borrowing costs, exacerbating their debt burdens.
Africa is increasingly attracting investment and political interest from a new generation of global powers beyond the United States and former European colonizers. China is Africa’s largest trading partner and a major lender, while Russia supplies arms to the continent. Gulf nations have become significant investors in Africa, and Turkey maintains its largest overseas military base and embassy in Somalia. Additionally, Israel and Iran are expanding their outreach in search of partnerships on the continent.
African leaders are challenging the narrative that portrays the continent solely as a passive victim of war, extremism, hunger, and disaster. They aspire to be mediators, exemplified by African peace initiatives following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The inclusion of the African Union in the G20 is a recognition of the continent as a global power in its own right.
What does the African Union bring to the G20?
Full G20 membership for the African Union enables it to represent a continent that houses the world’s largest free trade area. Additionally, Africa possesses abundant resources crucial for combating climate change, despite contributing the least to it but suffering its adverse effects the most.
Africa boasts 60% of the world’s renewable energy resources and over 30% of the minerals essential for renewable and low-carbon technologies. Notably, Congo holds nearly half of the world’s cobalt, a vital component for lithium-ion batteries, as indicated in a recent United Nations report on Africa’s economic development.
African leaders are no longer content with outsiders extracting the continent’s resources for processing and profits elsewhere. They aim for more industrial development within Africa to bolster their economies.
Taking Africa’s natural assets into account, the continent possesses immense wealth, as emphasized by Kenyan President William Ruto at the inaugural Africa Climate Summit. The summit concluded with a call for fairer treatment by financial institutions, the fulfillment of rich countries’ long-standing promise of $100 billion annually in climate financing for developing nations, and a global tax on fossil fuels.
However, reaching a consensus among the African Union’s member states, which range from economic powerhouses like Nigeria and Ethiopia to some of the world’s poorest nations, can be a challenging endeavor. Moreover, there have been calls from within Africa for the AU to adopt a more forceful approach in responding to coups and crises on the continent.
