EU looking forward to welcome African Union as permanent member of G20

The European Union on Friday said it is looking forward to welcome the African Union as a permanent member of the G20 at its New Delhi summit. President of European Council Charles Michel said this a day ahead of the G2O summit being hosted by India. “The European Union is looking forward to welcome African Union as a permanent member of the G20,” Michel said at a media briefing. “The European Union supports African Union’s entry into G20,” he said. In June, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote to the G-20 leaders pitching for according the African Union the full membership of the grouping at its New Delhi summit. Weeks later, the proposal was formally included in the draft communique for the summit during the third G-20 Sherpas meeting that took place in Karnataka’s Hampi in July. A final decision on the proposal would be taken at the G-20 summit. The African Union (AU) is an influential organisation comprising 55 member states that make up the countries of the African continent. On the Ukraine crisis, Michel said Russia continues to attack innocent civilians in Ukraine and that EU will continue to back Ukraine. “The EU’s position on Ukraine crisis is crystal clear. We condemn Russian aggression against Ukraine,” he said and added that, “We support Ukrainian President’s peace formula to resolve Ukraine crisis”. Asked whether the G20 will be able to come out with the leaders’ declaration at the summit in view of differences over the Ukraine conflict, he said it is still being negotiated.