Overview: Promoting the construction of a more just and reasonable global governance system - Evaluation by multiple countries of the African Union being invited as a formal member of the G20 Africa | Global | People

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, September 10th - Summary: Promoting the construction of a more just and reasonable global governance system - Multiple countries evaluate the invitation of the African Union to become a formal member of the G20

Xinhua News Agency reporter

G20 members reached an agreement at the summit held on the 9th to invite the African Union to become an official member. Many people from multiple countries have expressed that this move has significant historical significance and will help African countries actively participate in global governance, play a positive role in cooperation to address global challenges, promote true multilateralism, and build a more just and reasonable global governance system.

Paving a broader path for the prosperity and development of Africa

"It is timely for the African Union to become a full member of the G20," said Sebastian Schultz, a researcher at the University of La Plata in Argentina. African countries are playing an increasingly important role on the international stage, and becoming a member of the G20 will help enhance the representation of the G20 on a global scale and promote better development in Africa and the world.

Joseph Matthews, a senior professor at the International University of Beltai in Cambodia, stated that the African Union's membership in the G20 will give African countries a broader voice on global issues, a stronger role in global governance, and pave a broader path for Africa's prosperity and development.

"After the AU becomes a member of the G20, Africa's voice will receive more attention, which will help to further narrow the gap between the North and the South," said Ivan Kasler, president of the Turkish Chinese Cultural Association of Türkiye.

"Africa is a continent full of vitality and hope, with ambitious young people, abundant natural resources, and enormous development potential." Keith Bennett, a British international relations consultant, believes that the African region has unique development advantages, and the G20 should truly demonstrate its representativeness. Africa's wisdom, potential, and contribution should not be ignored.

Enhance the collaborative strength to address global challenges

"The African Union becoming a member of the G20 means that the cake of cooperation among developing countries is getting bigger and the strength of cooperation in addressing global challenges is increasing." Felipe Porto, a researcher at the "Foreign Policy Observatory" at ABC Federal University in Brazil, said that the G20 should strengthen its response to challenges such as climate change, hunger, and poverty, which are also challenges that African countries are facing.

"I believe that the African Union's membership in the G20 will bring more stability to global trade and more opportunities for the future development of African and 'global southern' countries." Senegalese sociologist Mamadou Diouf believes that emerging economies and developing countries should unite to explore issues such as group rise, sustainable development, and green economy. "We need regional and global common development, only in this way can the world achieve comprehensive peace and stability.".

Costantinos Berhutesfa, a professor at the University of Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, pointed out that the African Union becoming a member of the G20 will help African countries coordinate their positions, issue a unified voice on the international stage, safeguard African interests, and resist external interference in Africa. "This highlights the improvement of developing countries' strength, and we hope that developing countries will strengthen unity and fully participate in discussions on the main topics of international development cooperation."

Teku Rexasha, an international relations expert at the National University of Patchachalan in Indonesia, stated that the African Union's membership in the G20 reflects the importance placed on the interests of countries in the "global South". The exploration of various members in achieving sustainable development goals, supporting the use of digital economy and artificial intelligence, and how to better respond to future economic turbulence will benefit African countries.

Mukhtar Gobashi, Vice Chairman of the Arab Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Egypt, stated that most African countries belong to vulnerable groups that are more severely affected by climate change. Becoming a member of the G20 will help Africa make a stronger voice in addressing climate change.

Promoting global governance towards a more just and reasonable direction

"The invitation of the African Union to become a member of the G20 is a historic and positive progress in structural transformation," said Helga Zep Larush, founder and chairman of the German think tank Schiller Institute. This move will help optimize the international economic order.

Alexander Korolev, Deputy Director of the Center for European and International Studies at the Russian University of Economics, also believes that the African Union's membership in the G20 will have an important positive impact on the multipolarity of the world pattern and the democratization of international relations.

"Africa is an important component of the global family, and its development and prosperity are an important part of global governance." Saudi international expert Abdul Aziz Shabani pointed out that becoming a member of the G20 will further improve the global multilateral cooperation mechanism, advance inclusive globalization and true multilateralism.

Sherif Ghali, a professor of political and international relations at the University of Abuja in Nigeria, believes that becoming a member of the African Union is beneficial for achieving more equitable and sustainable global development. "Multilateralism has become an irreversible trend in the world today. Developing countries' active participation in the multilateral system can effectively promote international cooperation and coordination, promote the construction of a more equitable international trade and financial system, and enhance productivity and economic growth potential."

China is the first country to explicitly express its support for the African Union's accession to the G20, and to support the African Union's greater role in global governance. Kenyan international scholar Kavins Adhill deeply felt China's unwavering support for the African Union and African countries over the years: "China has always been a partner of Africa, willing not only to share development opportunities with Africa, but also to firmly safeguard the collective interests of developing countries."

"From the idea of building a community with a shared future for mankind, to the the Belt and Road initiative, to the global development initiative, the global security initiative, and the global civilization initiative, these important ideas and initiatives fully demonstrate China's strong desire to promote inclusive, stable, peaceful, and sustainable development in the world. We expect that China will join hands with the vast number of developing countries, including African countries, to make a stronger voice on the international stage," Adehir said.