Day 1: AU the new member of G-20; now diplomats busy on Russia-Ukraine tangle
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: Like the increasingly ‘irrelevant’ United Nations, the second-largest association of countries, Group of 20 (G-20) has so far produced little in its previous 17 Summits. But the 18th could be remembered for at least three key takeaways: induction of the 55-member African Union (AU) as G-20’s 21st member, a possible ‘unanimous’ joint communique on the Russia-Ukraine matter, and a global initiative on biofuel.
With these aspirations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday kicked off the glittering two-day mega-event in the Bharatiya capital. Yes, for the first time, PM Modi was identified as the leader representing ‘Bharat’, and not the traditional ‘India’, at the inaugural session of the 18th G-20 Summit.
In a brief televised inaugural session, he announced the move to make the AU the first new member of the G-20 since its inception in 1999.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar escorted the current chairperson of the African Union, Comoros President Azali Assoumani, to his seat at the table. PM Modi greeted Assoumani with a hug before the G-20 leaders began their deliberations behind closed doors, away from the media glare.
With this, the AU became a permanent member of the G-20 as leaders of the world’s largest economies gathered in New Delhi for a Summit that will focus on pressing global challenges under the shadow of the Ukraine crisis, and the absence of Presidents Vladimir Putin (Russia) and Xi Jinping (China).
“In keeping with the sentiment of Sabka Saath (With Everyone), Bharat had proposed that the African Union should be given permanent membership of the G-20. I believe we all are in agreement on this proposal,” PM Modi said, speaking in Hindi.
After saying “With your agreement”, he banged a gavel thrice to mark the entry of the AU into the G-20. “Before we start our work, I invite the AU President to take his position as a permanent member.”
The admission of the AU, which was launched in 2002, was included in the leaders’ draft declaration currently being negotiated by the G-20 states. The AU may have the same status as the 27-member European Union (EU), the only regional bloc with full membership of the G-20.
In June, PM Modi had written to his counterparts among the G-20 members about granting the full membership to the AU. The proposal was also backed by key members of the EU, China, and Russia, albeit for different reasons.
Besides the EU, key members of the G-7, such as Japan, backed the move to give African countries, which are part of the Global South, a greater say in the world’s governance architecture. China was reluctant to be seen as going against the move in view of its large investments in Africa through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), while Russia was keen to win over more African states to counter its isolation by the West over the Ukraine conflict.
While negotiations on a draft leaders’ declaration continue to be bedeviled over the text to refer to the Ukraine crisis, India is looking to produce results in areas where it has led signature initiatives, such as financing for climate transition, digital public infrastructure, accelerated implementation of the sustainable development goals (SDGs), and reform of global institutions and multilateral development banks.
India has also positioned itself as the “Voice of the Global South” during its G-20 presidency, and the push to get the AU into the bloc of the world’s wealthiest economies was part of these efforts.
