Group of 20 Welcomes African Union as Member, Vague on Russia-Ukraine Conflict
NEW DELHI (AP) — The Group of 20, the top world economies, has officially accepted the African Union (AU) as a member at its annual summit on Saturday. However, their statement regarding Russia’s war in Ukraine was limited to a call to avoid territorial seizures and using nuclear weapons. The G20 final statement, released a day before the summit concludes, was less confrontational compared to last year’s meeting in Bali, as it did not directly mention Russia’s invasion. Instead, it focused on members reiterating their national positions and resolutions adopted at the United Nations, calling for adherence to the principles outlined in the U.N. Charter.
The addition of the AU to the G20 has received widespread support, becoming the second regional bloc to gain permanent membership after the European Union. This move aligns with the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s agenda of amplifying the Global South’s voice. During the summit, Modi addressed the delegates and emphasized the need for concrete solutions to address various challenges stemming from the global economy, geopolitical divides, and issues like terrorism, cybersecurity, health, and water security.
Modi’s focus on addressing the needs of the developing world was meant to divert attention from the Ukraine conflict. However, it is difficult to separate certain issues, such as food and energy security, from the European conflict. Despite objections from Russia and China, the leaders were able to unanimously agree on several paragraphs that referred to the conflict. Nevertheless, the language used in this year’s statement was weaker compared to the previous year’s, which strongly condemned the war in Ukraine and demanded the withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukrainian territory.
Some notable absences during the summit included the leaders of Russia and China, who opted not to attend, avoiding potential confrontations with their American and European counterparts. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez also canceled his attendance after testing positive for COVID-19, while the president of Mexico decided to skip the summit as well. French President Emmanuel Macron arrived late due to his presence at the opening of the Rugby World Cup in Paris.
The G20 agenda prioritized issues crucial to developing nations, such as alternative fuels, resource efficiency, food security, and the development of a common framework for digital public infrastructure. Human Rights Watch urged the G20 leaders not to let disunity distract them from addressing other critical issues, and they called for discussions on challenges like gender discrimination and racism.
Meanwhile, hundreds of Tibetan exiles staged a protest away from the summit venue, condemning Chinese participation and urging leaders to address Sino-Tibetan relations. Prior to the formal start of the summit, Indian Prime Minister Modi had a meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden. White House aide Kurt Campbell described the meeting as having a positive and confident atmosphere, highlighting efforts by the U.S., India, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates to finalize a joint infrastructure deal.
Campbell referred to the potential project as “earth-shattering” and noted India’s strong support for it, despite previous resistance towards such massive multilateral projects. While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was not invited to address the G20, amid the ongoing Ukraine conflict, U.S. administration officials downplayed the absence, emphasizing the country’s commitment to supporting Ukraine.
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