President Paul Kagame has sought the inclusion of the African Union Commission in the G20 to boost collaboration and partnership between the two entities. Kagame was speaking at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in his capacity as the Chairperson of the African Union. G20 is a multinational forum for the governments and central bank governors from 19 countries of the world’s largest economies and the European Union Commission. Speaking at a working lunch session dubbed “Putting People First” discussing technology, youth jobs and women’s empowerment, Kagame said Africa ought to have greater participation in global value chains to ensure citizens receive their rightful share of the benefits. He said that the continent is also keen on working closely with G20 to reinforce the pillars of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, alongside the Sustainable Development Goals. Flags of the G20 members. President Kagame has called for a permanent role of the AU in the Group. Net photo. To foster cooperation and partnership, he suggested including the African Union Commission in the organisation which would strengthen coordination. “Africa therefore looks forward to working more closely with partners in the G20 to reinforce the pillars of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, alongside the Sustainable Development Goals. “In that context, I would like to put forward the idea that a standing role for the African Union Commission in the G20 configuration would strengthen coordination in important ways, including on international financial governance,” Kagame said. If admitted, the AU Commission would be the second regional bloc to join the organisation after the European Union Commission. The AU Chairperson also showcased the continent’s economic opportunities to the leaders of the world’s most developed nations, calling for stronger cooperation. “Africa is the reservoir of global economic opportunity in the coming decades. We have the fastest-growing cities, the most youthful population and many of the highest-growth economies. “Major continental integration milestones achieved this year will have a multiplier effect on these strong fundamentals. Chief among these are the African Continental Free Trade Area, the Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons, and the Single African Air Transport Market,” he said. Kagame also raised concerns on lack of citizen inclusion in political process across the world. “Around the world, citizens have been expressing a sense of being left behind by political processes. The appropriate response is inclusion and cooperation. First, by ensuring nobody feels left out of the national fabric because of their origin, youth or gender,” Kagame said. He also noted that inclusion can be fostered by promoting mastery of the productive technologies that are defining the future world of work. He expressed Rwanda and Africa’s commitment to building inclusive, productive and resilient societies. G20 was established in 1999 with the aim of discussing policy regarding the promotion of international financial stability. Members include; Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union. This year’s summit is running under the theme, ‘Building Consensus for Fair and Sustainable Development’. Non-members attending the summit include countries chairing key regional groupings like African Union (Rwanda), Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Singapore), New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Senegal), and Caribbean Community and Common Market (Jamaica). editorial@newtimes.co.rw
