The president of Mozambique, Filipe Nyusi, said on Wednesday that the admission of the African Union to the G20 will give “greater voice and visibility” to “African challenges” in the organisation as well as “recognising the important role” of the continent in global geopolitics.
“As a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, Mozambique welcomes this important continental step forward, which is taking place during our term, in the knowledge that the presence of the African Union will help mobilise strategic partnerships for the challenges facing Africa,” said Nyusi.
“The admission of the African Union to the G20 will certainly provide a greater voice and visibility for African challenges in this important multilateral forum,” he added, in an official statement on the decision taken at the summit of the group of the world’s 20 largest economies (G20), held in September in New Delhi, India, to admit the African Union as a full member of the organisation.
“This historic milestone demonstrates the recognition of the important role that the African continent has been playing in global geopolitics,” Nyusi’s statement adds.
It recalls that the G20 represents around 85% of the world’s GDP and 75%of international trade, as well as two thirds of the world’s population, prior to the admission of the African Union.
Thus, he pointed out in the same declaration, the African Union “will enjoy the same status as the European Union, alongside the world’s largest economies, such as the United States of America, the United Kingdom and Russia.
“In fact, most of the world’s most influential international multilateral organisations were created at a time when our continent was still under colonial rule, which has limited the inclusion of the voice and concerns of African countries on the global agenda,” Nyusi stressed. “Africa must occupy its place in the world’s decision-making centres, on its own merits and rights.”
That is why, he argues, that this process “should continue to be replicated by other multilateral organisations, especially the United Nations Security Council, the World Bank and the IMF, among others, whose decisions have a major global impact.
“Mozambique encourages the leadership of the African Union to fully assume its role as the faithful representative of African states. The leadership must emphasise our continent’s vision of promoting peace and sustainable development, in favour of the well-being of our peoples,” the statement concludes.
