“Today, as the president of G20, India calls upon the world to come together to transform the global trust deficit into one of trust and reliance,” Modi said during his opening remarks.
“This is the time for all of us to move together… Be it the divide between North and South, the distance between the East and West, management of food and fuel, terrorism, cyber security, health, energy or water security, we must find a solid solution to this for future generations...”
“I invite the representative of the African Union to take his place as a permanent member of the G20,” Modi announced.
The African Union consists of 55 member states, encompassing the entire African continent, and Comoros President Azali Assoumani is presently the AU chair.
The membership positions the African bloc at the forefront of one of the world's most influential global governance bodies.
Modi has actively promoted India's leadership role among emerging and developing nations, collectively known as the Global South. He has advocated for enhanced collaboration with wealthier nations to secure essential financial support.
Modi has previously spoken of his intention to include the African Union in the grouping.
“When we say we see the world as a family, we truly mean it,” Modi said in an interview ahead of the summit.
“Africa is a top priority for us even within the G20. One of the first things we did during our G20 Presidency was to hold the Voice of the Global South summit, which had enthusiastic participation from Africa.
The G20, made up of 19 countries comprises the world's most influential and substantial economies, representing 85% of global GDP, 75% of international trade, and two-thirds of the world's population.
Member countries are the US, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Britain, Canada, China, the European Union, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea and Turkey.
