Under the chairmanship of Sunil Bharti Mittal, the Chairman of Bharti Enterprises and President of the India-Africa Business Council on African Economic Integration, B20 India has congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government for successfully including the African Union as a permanent member of the G20 group of nations. The African Union represents a bloc of 55 countries on the African continent and was established in 2002.
Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman of Bharti Enterprises and President of the India-Africa Business Council on African Economic Integration, praised the inclusion of the African Union (AU) as a permanent member of the G20 group of nations just minutes after the announcement. He stated, “This announcement, taken together with the initiative of bringing it from New Delhi to the global stage, will be remembered as a milestone in the direction of building more inclusive structures in international organizations and bodies.” Mittal emphasized his personal involvement in promoting this inclusion through his role as Chairman of B20 Action Council on African Economic Integration and expressed satisfaction that the G20 has reached a consensus to provide extensive support for AU to integrate, succeed, and work towards African economic development.
Under the leadership of G20, B20 India made efforts to include the African Union, provide substantial support for its integration, and work towards African economic development. During his inaugural address at the 18th G20 Summit of leaders held in New Delhi on Saturday and Sunday, Prime Minister Modi invited the African Union as a permanent member to the high table of G20 leaders, subject to the consent of all. Immediately after this, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar seated Azali Assoumani, President of the Comoros Union and Chairperson of the African Union (AU), on the world leaders’ dais.
The inclusion of the African Union as a member of the G20 was one of India’s key objectives, and the announcement was expected to be made during the G20 Summit in New Delhi. In June 2023, Prime Minister Modi had stated that he had written to G20 counterparts to provide full membership to the African Union at the G20 Summit.
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