African Union

Why is in news? PM Modi writes to G20 members proposing full membership for African Union during upcoming New Delhi summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has written to G20 counterparts to propose that the African Union be given full membership at the upcoming Delhi Summit of G20, as requested by them

Sources said Prime Minister has led from the front on this matter, which he strongly advocates and supports. He has taken a bold step in enhancing Africa’s voice on the international stage and in shaping the future of this shared world.

Sources added that this will be the right step towards a just, fair, more inclusive, and representative global architecture and governance.

Prime Minister is a strong believer in having a greater Voice of the Global South countries on international platforms, particularly of African countries.

As part of India’s G20 Presidency, he has particularly focused on incorporating priorities of the African countries in the G20 agenda.

African Union:

The African Union (AU) is a continental body consisting of 55 member states.

The African Union is considered the top-most grouping representing the voice of Africa.

It has been working towards ensuring the progress and economic growth of the African nations.

It was officially launched in 2002 as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity.

The AU was announced in the Sirte Declaration in Sirte, Libya, on 9 September 1999, calling for the establishment of the African Union.

The bloc was founded on 26 May 2001 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and launched on 9 July 2002 in Durban, South Africa.

The most important decisions of the AU are made by the Assembly of the African Union, a semi-annual meeting of the heads of state and government of its member states.

The AU's secretariat, the African Union Commission, is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The largest city in the AU is Lagos, Nigeria, while the largest urban agglomeration is Cairo, Egypt.

Key objectives:

To achieve greater unity and solidarity between the African countries and Africans.

To defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of its Member States.

To accelerate the political and social-economic integration of the continent.