‘Would be happy to see it as member’: UN Chief Guterres on African Union’s inclusion in G20

The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday said that he would be very happy to see the inclusion of the African Union as a member in the G20.

On India pitching to bring the African Union into G20, Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres said, “The UN has a very solid partnership with the African Union. Africa has a serious problem of representation in today’s international institutions. When they were created, the African continent had few independent countries. Most of the countries were still under colonial regimes…”

“I’m strongly supportive of the presence of an African country, at least as a permanent member of the Security Council, that I consider it is essential to reform Africa to have a stronger participation. I would be very happy to see the African Union as a member of the G20,” he said.

The UN Chief further spoke on India’s G20 Presidency and said that he is confident that India will do everything possible to make sure that the geopolitical divide that exists is overcome and that the G20 can conclude with possible results.

“I am confident that India will do everything possible to make sure that the geopolitical divide that exists, overcome and that the G20 can conclude with possible results…I will be very interested in seeing the emerging economies and developed countries that are gathering in the G20 to be able to come to a united approach, to an increased ambition. Ambition in mitigation to reduce emissions as we are facing a catastrophic climate situation and ambition in justice to provide developing countries with the resources they need for climate action in adaptation and in mitigation…,” Guterres said.

Earlier in June, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a bold step in taking Africa’s voice on the international stage and shaping the future of the shared world, sources said, adding that he has written to G20 counterparts to provide the African Union with full membership at the upcoming G20 Summit in the national capital, New Delhi.

Prime Minister Modi is also a strong believer in holding a greater voice of the Global South countries on international platforms, particularly of African countries, noted the sources.

As part of India’s G20 Presidency, he has particularly focused on incorporating priorities of the African countries in the G20 agenda, they added.

Furthermore, the Spokesperson for the UN Chief, Stephane Dujarric said in a statement that Guterres will be attending the G20 Summit in New Delhi and he looks forward to participating in it under India’s leadership.

Speaking to ANI, Dujarric said, “The Secretary-General will be going to the G20. He looks forward to participating under India’s leadership. The theme of the G20, of bringing one family, one planet, one Earth, is very important. We are living in a multipolar world, but multipolarity by itself will not solve the issue.

“We need to fight against fragmentation, and the G20 has an opportunity to do that. Secretary-General also expects quite a lot from the G20 nations, which are the 20 leading economies of the world,” he said.

India is hosting the G20 Leader’s Summit in the national capital at the newly inaugurated Bharat Mandapam on September 9-10.

This is the first time that the G20 Summit is taking place under India’s presidency. The event will be attended by many global leaders and delegates. Extensive preparations and arrangements have been made for the summit, with the intention of showcasing both India’s soft power as well as modern face.

The G20 was formed in 1999 to maintain global financial stability by incorporating middle-income countries.

The 18th G20 Summit in New Delhi will be a culmination of all the G20 processes and meetings held throughout the year among ministers, senior officials, and civil societies.

In this context, India aims to ensure that the voices and concerns of South Asian countries are given due importance in order to foster a more comprehensive and equitable global response to the climate crisis. However, achieving this goal requires addressing the intricate political realities of the region and incorporating the diverse perspectives, priorities, and demands of South Asian countries effectively.

“Our effort will be that there should not be any First World or Third World in the world, but only one world,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at the unveiling last November of the 2023 G20 Summit logo and theme: Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, or “One Earth, One Family, One Future.”

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