Putin Hopes The African Union Becomes A G20 Member At India Summit

JAKARTA - Russian President Vladimir Putin said he hoped the African Union (AU) could become a member of the G20 in early September during the organization's summit in India.

Putin said Russia was one of the first countries to respond positively to last year's initiative proposed by the President of Senegal to give the African Union full membership in the G20.

"We hope this decision will be made as early as September during the G20 Summit in New Delhi," Putin said in a meeting with Azali Assoumani and Chairman of the Air Force Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat in St. Petersburg reported by ANTARA from Anadolu, Thursday, July 27.

The G20 is a multilateral cooperation forum consisting of 20 countries with a large economy in the world. The G20 consists of 19 main countries and the European Union (EU).

G20 members include South Africa, US, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, India, Indonesia, England, Italy, Japan, Germany, Canada, Mexico, South Korea, Russia, France, China, Turkey, and the European Union.

Putin said Russia views the AU as a regional organization that pioneered the formation of the African security structure and prepared steps for the continent to enter the in a global economic system.

He stressed that his country is ready to make every effort to help strengthen the sovereignty of African countries, and make Africa one of the main partners in the new multipolar world order system, when world powers are divided into many actors competing for personal interests.

Putin and leaders of African countries will hold the Russia-African summit in St. Petersburg on 27-28 July. Issues related to the multipolar world are expected to be discussed at the two-day meeting.

"We will also discuss practical solutions related to building trade and economic cooperation, ensuring food and energy security, and developing a national health care system," Putin said.

Putin explained that the volume of international trade between Russia and Africa in 2022 reached around 18 billion US dollars despite being influenced by Western sanctions and the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is said that the trade turnover in the first half of this year increased by almost 35 percent.

Ahead of the Russia-Africa summit, Putin also held a separate meeting on Wednesday (26/7) with his counterpart from Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, as well as Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, and New Development Bank Head Dilma Rousseff.