The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced this at the ongoing summit in New Delhi, India, on Saturday.

The G20, which consists of the most affluent and powerful countries in the world, added the African Union as a permanent member.

With 55 members, the African Union is the only regional bloc with a complete membership and now shares the same status as the European Union. Prior to that, it was known as a “invited international organization.”

In his opening remarks at the summit, Modi invited the AU, represented by Chairperson Azali Assoumani, to sit at the table of G20 leaders as a permanent member.

In a post on his official social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, Modi said: “Honoured to welcome the African Union as a permanent member of the G20 Family. This will strengthen the G20 and also strengthen the voice of the Global South.”

At the summit, decisions will also be made on developing multilateral institutions’ loans to developing countries, changing the structure of the global debt system, regulating cryptocurrencies, and the effect of geopolitics on the security of food and energy.

The “geopolitical situation” in the 38-page draft that was distributed to members was left blank, indicating the severe divisions over the conflict in Ukraine, but 75 other paragraphs showed broad consensus on topics including cryptocurrency and changes to multilateral development banks.