JAKARTA (Antara) – UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has supported India’s efforts to get the African Union as a member of the Group of 20 major world economies (G20).
„I would be very happy to see the African Union as a member of the G20,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the 43rd ASEAN Summit in Jakarta on Thursday.
Despite a solid partnership within the union, Africa faces a serious problem of under-representation in today’s international institutions, he stressed.
„Most African countries are still under colonial rule, so, Africa was a double victim of colonialism… That’s why I strongly support an African country being at least a permanent member of the (international organization) UN Security Council,” he noted.
Guterres welcomed India’s efforts to continue pushing for the inclusion of the African Union in the G20.
India is making efforts to help the African Union join the G20, hoping to build on the legacy of its leadership of the grouping this year.
At a press conference in New Delhi in August, Amitabh Kant, India’s G20 Sherpa, said, „India wants to make the African Union a member of the G20 during our presidency.”
The Government of India hopes that the inclusion of the African Union as a member of the G20 will further encourage discussions and efforts to resolve the issues of the Global South.
Related news: ASEAN key factor for unity in divided world: Guterres
The Global South is a term used to refer to developing and least developed countries or low-income economies.
As the term suggests, the Global South includes countries whose economies are not yet fully developed and face challenges such as low per capita income, high unemployment, and a lack of valuable capital such as technology.
„Global South” refers to regions of Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania.
One of the steps taken by India to encourage the African Union to join the G20 was the establishment of a business sector task force called the B20 India Action Council on African Economic Integration.
India will undertake several initiatives for African economic integration, including strengthening human capital in health, education and skills, as well as revitalizing agriculture and food systems for sustainable productivity, food security and nutrition.
Additionally, India will help trade facilitation unlock the potential of integration across regional and global value chains while bridging physical and digital connectivity gaps through strategic investments in infrastructure.
Related news: Jokowi highlights ASEAN-UN solidarity in fostering global peace
Related News: UN to participate in ASEAN Leaders Meeting in Bali
. „Gracz. Namiętny pionier w mediach społecznościowych. Wielokrotnie nagradzany miłośnik muzyki. Rozrabiacz”.