China is expected to agree to the final draft of the G20 Summit Joint Statement, while the US is showing more caution.
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| At the 2023 summit, the G20 may admit the AU. (Source: Reuters) |
On September 7th, Bloomberg (USA), citing informed sources, reported that the Group of Twenty (G20) leading developed and emerging economies had agreed to grant permanent membership to the African Union (AU). According to the newspaper, the G20 is expected to announce this decision at its upcoming summit.
If realized, the scenario described above would elevate the AU, a bloc of 55 member states, to a position equivalent to that of the European Union (EU). Currently, the G20 comprises 19 member states and the EU.
In addition, the G20 summit, held this weekend in New Delhi, also invited nine non-member countries, including Bangladesh, Singapore, Spain, and Nigeria, as well as international organizations such as the United Nations, the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Bank (WB), and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to attend.
In related news, responding to a question about the possibility of reaching a joint statement at the event, John Kirby, the National Security Council (NSC) Strategic Communications Coordinator, remarked that finding consensus among G20 nations is like getting "20 clocks ticking at the same time," adding that it is highly unlikely but the US remains hopeful.
Regarding the main objectives of the G20 Summit, Mr. Kirby stated: “One of our main objectives in participating in the G20 is to help reshape and expand multilateral development banks such as the IMF and the World Bank.”
We know that these institutions are among the most effective tools for mobilizing transparent and high-quality investment in developing countries. That is why the United States has supported the major effort currently underway to develop these institutions so that they can cope with future challenges.”
Earlier, on September 6th, Bloomberg quoted a senior French government official as saying that China had agreed to the draft communiqué of the G20 summit.
According to the report, only Russia and India currently do not support the G20's joint communiqué, including the statement on Ukraine. Bloomberg did not specify which provisions regarding the conflict were included in the final communiqué of the Summit.
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