Libya Welcomes African Union’s Membership in G20

The Libyan Foreign Ministry on Saturday welcomed the inclusion of the African Union (AU) as a permanent member of the Group of Twenty (G20) at this year’s G20 Summit. In a statement, the ministry said the AU’s membership in the G20 would “effectively help express the aspirations of the African peoples and contribute to addressing international challenges and concerns.”

The G20 members agreed Saturday to accept the African Union (AU) as a new member in an effort to give a greater voice and more representation to developing countries. The agreement was reached at the inaugural session of the two-day G20 summit held in New Delhi during the weekend.

The G20’s approval is a response to a widespread call that China first explicitly made, to grant the continental body full membership and “increase the representation and voice of developing countries in global governance.”