G20 Welcomes African Union as Member, Addresses Ukraine Conflict and Other Global Challenges

New Delhi, India – In an important development, the Group of 20 top world economies welcomed the African Union (AU) as a member during their annual summit held on Saturday. While the G20 statement addressed the issue of Russia’s war in Ukraine, the wording was limited to a call for avoiding forceful territorial seizures or the use of nuclear weapons.

This year’s G20 final statement was less confrontational compared to the previous year’s meeting in Bali. Unlike the earlier summit, it did not directly mention Russia’s invasion. Instead, the statement emphasized the importance of adhering to United Nations resolutions and acting in accordance with the principles laid out in the U.N. Charter.

The decision to include the AU as a permanent member received widespread support, making it the second regional bloc after the European Union to join the G20. This move adds momentum to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiative to give a greater voice to the Global South.

During the summit, the continent of Africa also came into focus due to the earthquake in Morocco that occurred while the delegates were gathered in New Delhi. Prime Minister Modi expressed condolences and offered support, stating, “The entire world community is with Morocco in this difficult time, and we are ready to provide them all possible assistance.”

Modi emphasized the need to find concrete solutions to the various challenges arising from the global economy, the divide between the north and the south, and other issues such as terrorism, cybersecurity, health, and water security. Addressing the delegates, he used the name “Bharat” on his nameplate, an ancient Sanskrit name that has been promoted by his Hindu nationalist supporters.

Despite disagreements between Russia, China, and other members over the language regarding the war in Ukraine, the leaders were able to reach a unanimous agreement. Indian officials confirmed that several paragraphs referencing the conflict were included in the statement. However, the language used was weaker than that of the previous G20 summit in Bali, which explicitly condemned the Russian Federation’s aggression and demanded its withdrawal from Ukrainian territory.

Notably, more than a fifth of the G20 heads of state were absent from the New Delhi summit. Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador did not attend. French President Emmanuel Macron arrived late, missing the morning meetings due to his presence at the Rugby World Cup opening in Paris.

Prior to the summit, several preparatory meetings failed to produce agreements due to disagreements regarding Ukraine. Failing to reach a statement during the summit would have tarnished India’s image as a global problem solver, which Prime Minister Modi has been striving to cultivate.

The G20 agenda prominently featured issues crucial to developing nations, including alternative fuels like hydrogen, resource efficiency, food security, and the development of a common framework for digital public infrastructure.

Human Rights Watch urged the G20 leaders to avoid being distracted by international disunity during the summit. Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy director of the organization’s Asia division, called for open discussions on challenges like gender discrimination and racism, as well as addressing persistent barriers to equality in host country India.

At the summit venue, hundreds of Tibetan exiles held a protest condemning Chinese participation in the event and calling for leaders to discuss Sino-Tibetan relations.

On the eve of the formal meeting, Prime Minister Modi met with U.S. President Joe Biden. White House aide Kurt Campbell praised the rapport between the two leaders, speaking of an “undeniable warmth and confidence” in their interaction.

Furthermore, the leaders of the United States, India, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates were finalizing a joint infrastructure deal involving ship and rail transit between India, the Middle East, Turkey, and beyond. This project, if announced during the summit, could have a significant impact.

The absence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a speaker at the G20 was downplayed by U.S. administration officials. While Zelenskyy has been campaigning for support for Ukraine in international forums since the onset of the conflict, this summit did not include him.

In conclusion, the G20 welcomed the AU as a member, discussed the war in Ukraine, and addressed various global challenges. The summit in New Delhi aimed to prioritize the needs of the developing world, but associated issues like food and energy security cannot be entirely separated from the European conflict. The discussions also highlighted the importance of promoting equality, open dialogue, and infrastructure development in order to find concrete solutions to these pressing global issues.