Modi calls for African Union to join G20

NEW DELHI, Aug 27 (AFP): Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Sunday for the African Union to be made a G20 member, while also pitching his country as the solution to supply chain woes ahead of the bloc's summit in New Delhi next month.

The Group of 20 major economies consists of 19 countries and the European Union (EU), making up about 85 percent of global GDP and two-thirds of the world's population-but South Africa is the only member from the continent.

In December, US President Joe Biden said he wanted the African Union "to join the G20 as a permanent member", adding that it had "been a long time in coming, but it's going to come".

On Sunday, current G20 host Modi also called for including the pan-African bloc, which collectively had a $3 trillion GDP last year.

"We have invited the African Union with a vision to give permanent membership," Modi said at B20, a business forum and prelude to the September 9-10 G20 summit.

Headquartered in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, the AU at full strength has 55 members, but five junta-ruled nations are currently suspended.

Modi also said India was the "solution" to creating an "efficient and trusted global supply chain" following disruptions during the coronavirus pandemic, with New Delhi working to bolster manufacturing to compete with China.