'PM Modi's guarantee': Jaishankar shares insights on G20 merger assurance to ex-African Union chief

The recollection goes back to the 2022 G20 Summit held in Bali, Indonesia, where the then AU chief, who also serves as the President of Senegal, expressed his concerns about the AU's absence in the G20.

Team Newsable

Published: Sep 9, 2023, 7:32 PM IST

In a significant revelation, Union Foreign Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday (September 9) shared a pivotal moment from the G20 Summit, stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured former African Union (AU) President Macky Sall regarding the AU's membership in the Group of Twenty (G20). During a press conference, Jaishankar emphasized that PM Modi not only delivered on this assurance but also played a pivotal role in making it a reality.

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"PM Modi had assured the (African Union President) that under the Indian G20 presidency, it would certainly be done… And you have seen that he has delivered this assurance that he had made," Jaishankar said.

This significant development culminated on the day when the 55-member African Union officially became a permanent member of the G20. During a brief inaugural session, PM Modi made the historic announcement, making the African bloc the first new member to join the G20 since its establishment in 1999, initially in response to a series of financial crises.

"In keeping with the sentiment of 'sabka saath' (with everyone), India had proposed that the African Union should be given permanent membership of the G20. I believe we all are in agreement on this proposal," PM Modi said.

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The move has garnered widespread praise, with the current AU Chief, Moussa Faki Mahamat, lauding the African Union's entry into the G20 as a full member. He expressed his excitement and optimism about Africa's enhanced role in addressing global challenges as a result of this historic development.

"I welcome the African Union's entry into the G20 as a full member. This membership, for which we have long been advocating, will provide a propitious framework for amplifying advocacy in favor of the Continent and its effective contribution to meeting global challenges," Mahamat shared on social media.

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