G20 Summit 2023: African Union now a permanent member; PM Modi welcomes Chairperson Azali Assoumani

G20 Summit 2023 updates: The African Union (AU) was made a permanent member of the G20 on Saturday. The African Union is a continental body, like the European Union, of 55 member states. It now has the same status as the EU. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited AU Chairperson Azali Assoumani to take a seat at the table of G20 leaders as a permanent member. The Chairperson was escorted to his seat by Foreign Minister S Jaishankar. 

"With support from all of you, I invite the African Union to join the G20," PM Modi said. 

"In keeping with the sentiment of sabka saath (with everyone), India has proposed that the African Union should be given permanent membership of the G20. I believe we are all in agreement on this proposal,” said PM Modi, following which he banged the gavel thrice. 

In a social media post, PM Modi said, “Honoured to welcome the African Union as a permanent member of the G20 Family. This will strengthen the G20 and also strengthen the voice of the Global South.”

The move to include the African Union in the G20 was proposed by PM Modi in June.

Before the inclusion of the African Union, the G20 comprised 19 countries – Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Türkiye, United Kingdom and United States,  and the European Union.

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