Biden will declare his backing for Nigeria and other AU members joining the G20
According to a White House official who spoke to Reuters, President Joe Biden will declare this week that the United States supports the African Union’s admittance as a permanent member of the G20 group of the world’s major economies.
According to White House adviser Judd Devermont, Biden will make the news at the US-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington the following week, when he will meet with presidents of African nations.
Devermont, “We need more African voices in international dialogues about the global economy, democracy and governance, climate change, health, and security.”
Devermont claimed that the action, which was first reported by the Washington Post, was prompted by requests from both South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and African Union Chair Macky Sall of Senegal.
The sole G20 member from Africa is South Africa. There are 55 member states in the AU.
Devermont, the move builds on Washington’s policy for Sub-Saharan Africa and it is past time for Africa to have permanent seats at the table in international organizations and projects.
In August, the United States unveiled a new strategy for sub-Saharan Africa, highlighting the importance of the region, the dangers presented by China and Russia, and pledging to increase defense cooperation with like-minded African nations.
According to Reuters, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated in November that in order to assist Africa with its infrastructure needs, Washington would need to act differently and that it was time to stop treating the continent as a geopolitical pawn and start treating it as a significant player in its own right.
Africa requires billions of dollars annually for power, roads, dams, and other infrastructure. Over the past ten years, China, which typically does not tie financial aid to political or rights-related conditions, has donated enormous sums to Africa.
Washington has criticized Chinese financing as exploitative and potentially trapping borrowers in debt while focusing on encouraging private investment, but officials admit that more has to be done to speed up aid, according to the article.
Some have criticized the Biden administration for being unresponsive to Africa, which is a common criticism of US foreign policy but one that has gained greater resonance as China has consolidated its political and economic influence on the continent.
The former president Donald Trump, who disparaged some African countries and prohibited travel from six of them, has adopted a different tone than Biden.
The G20, sometimes known as the Group of 20, is an intergovernmental organization made up of the European Union and 19 other nations. It strives to address important global economic concerns like international financial stability, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and promoting sustainable development.
