The African Union, a bloc of 55 countries, was today inducted as the newest and permanent member of G20 after all member-countries accepted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's proposal to this effect.

"With support from all of you, I invite African Union to join G20," Modi said amid thunderous applause by world leaders at the G20 Summit as he inaugurated the event.

Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar escorted President of the Union of Comoros and Chairperson of the African Union (AU), Azali Assoumani, to take his seat at the G20 high table

As the summit began, Modi, US President Joe Biden and other top leaders of developed and developing countries started deliberations on pressing global challenges at the G20 Summit here on Saturday under the shadow of the Ukraine war that has significantly fragmented the global geopolitical order.

Hosting the summit for the first time, India is looking at producing tangible results in areas of financing for climate transition, digital public infrastructure, accelerated implementation of sustainable development goals, framework for cryptocurrency and reform of the international financial institutions.

The summit is hosting over 30 global leaders including US President Joe Biden, UK PM Rishi Sunak and French President Emmanuel Macron among others.

Until now, South Africa was the bloc’s only G20 member. Resource-rich Africa is central to discussions about climate change, food security, migration and other issues facing the world. Its contribution to global warming is the lowest but is hit the most by climate change.

Africa is endowed with about 60 per cent of the world’s renewable energy assets and over 30 per cent of the minerals key to renewable and low-carbon technologies. Congo alone has almost half of the world’s cobalt, a metal essential for lithium-ion batteries, according to a United Nations report on Africa’s economic development released last month.

Permanent G20 membership signals the rise of a continent whose young population of 1.3 billion is set to double by 2050 and make up a quarter of the planet’s people.

Africa is drawing more and more investment and political interest from rising global powers like India. China is Africa’s largest trading partner and one of its largest lenders. Russia is its leading arms provider. Gulf countries have become some of Africa’s biggest investors. Turkey’s largest overseas military base and embassy are in Somalia.

With full G20 membership, the AU can represent a continent that is home to the world’s largest free trade area.