India has proposed giving the African Union full membership at the G20 during the upcoming Delhi summit of the grouping in September, according to persons aware of the matter.
The proposal, it is understood, has been raised by India’s Prime Minister Modi with G20 counterparts.
During its year-long Presidency of the G20, India has pushed for a greater voice for the developing world in the deliberations of the body. It hosted the Voices of the Global South summit in January 2023 to bring developing country perspectives to the G20.
“The African Union (AU) is a continental body consisting of the 55 member states that make up the countries of the African Continent. It was officially launched in 2002 as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU, 1963-1999),” reads the website of the body.
The organisation’s main goal is to promote and “accelerate the political and socio-economic integration of the continent.”
It also focuses on encouraging international cooperation, protecting human rights and promoting and defending common African positions on key issues.
Currently, South Africa is the only African country that enjoys member status in the G20.
India’s proposal to grant the African Union full member status mirrors the status already granted to the European Union. Three of the EU’s member states- France, Italy and Germany- are already part of the body.
India’s move is consistent with its ambitions to project itself as a leader of the Global South. During the course of its G20 Presidency, India has pushed for discussion on food security, economic weaponisation, debt relief and climate change, among other key developing nation priorities.
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Updated: 17 Jun 2023, 10:42 PM IST