U.S. President Joe Biden will announce next week his country’s endorsement of the African Union’s bid to become a permanent member of the G20 in a gesture aimed at winning the support of its member states at a time of increasing influence of Russia and China on the continent.
This announcement will be the culmination of the US-Africa Leaders Summit that will begin on Tuesday, December 13, in Washington and will last until next Thursday, according to the director of the National Security Council for African Affairs, Judd Devermont, in a statement published Friday by the ‘Washington Post’.
«It is long overdue for Africa to have a permanent seat in this organization,» Devermont said. «We need,» he added, «more African voices in international conversations on global economics, democracy and governance, climate change, health and security.»
The initiative was spearheaded by the presidents of South Africa and Senegal, Cyril Ramaphosa and Macky Sall, who went so far as to ask Biden directly for support for AU membership on behalf of the 55 African states.
This push also comes at a time when African countries have been hit hard by the economic impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, making it difficult for the United States to gain their support during UN votes condemning Russia for its invasion and annexation of Ukrainian territories.
