African Union's inclusion in G20 is historic and long overdue: Sunil Mittal

The intent is clear and these are the bold enablers to reach the final destination. After all, it took decades for the European Union to take its shape and be in its current form

The inclusion of the African Union in G20 is seen as one of the biggest achievements of India’s Presidency. SUNIL MITTAL, chairman of Bharti Enterprises, who also chaired the B20 Action Council on African Economic Integration, shared in an email interview with Nivedita Mookerji that he believes this transition will finally grant the Global South and the African Union their rightful place. Edited excerpts:

What is the broad implication of the African Union’s inclusion in the G20, making it a G21 club?
 

My hearty congratulations to Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi for providing leadership to the Global South. The inclusion of the African Union in the G20 is truly historic and, in my view, long overdue.

India’s G20 Presidency will be remembered for many decades as having led this effort from the front. The PM took it upon himself during Indonesia’s G20 Presidency to assure the African Union of his commitment to ensuring Africa gets its due. This inclusion will give the Global South and the African Union their rightful place and also enrich the discussions at the multilateral level by bringing the voice of 1.4 billion Africans to the G20.

It will also open the door to reforming other multilateral organisations that still do not represent the realities and aspirations of today. We are already seeing progress; the G20 is actively discussing the mandates of multilateral banks to make them more inclusive and representative of our current times.

This will be the biggest bloc after the European Union (EU) — is it merely optics or much more?
 

The intent is clear, and these are bold enablers to reach the final destination. After all, it took decades for the EU to take shape in its current form. The creation of the African Continental Free Trade Area in 2018 and now the permanent membership of the African Union in the G20 in 2023 are clear signs that this is more than mere optics. It shows the resolve of African countries and strong partners such as India to make the multilateral system more inclusive and truly representative.

I have long articulated that Africa is the continent of hope and will serve as the growth engine in the decades to come, with its huge market size, promising demographics, abundant natural resources, and, above all, a determination to be included in all multilateral fora.

For business and industry, does this transition mean anything? Since Airtel is among the biggest businesses in the African Union, how does the G20 breakthrough impact businesses such as yours?
 

Business plays a leading role in supporting the G20; hence, the B20 is one of the most important components of the G20. This transition will enable new and fresh investments in Africa, its integration into the global supply chain, and many business opportunities to thrive and grow, supporting sustainable global economic growth.

For Airtel, this brings many new avenues of growth, particularly in the digital economy sector. Last year at the US-Africa Leaders’ Summit, US President Joe Biden committed $55 billion in investment over the next three years. Many other countries, such as France, Germany, and India, are also committing investments to Africa.

All these initiatives clearly reflect the recognition of Africa as the continent of hope.

Airtel is a strong and reliable partner in driving and empowering financial inclusion and last-mile connectivity in all 14 of our countries. We will also be happy to partner and collaborate in enhancing the India-Africa bilateral economic partnership through our investments.

With Africa being associated with Mahatma Gandhi, what’s the big message here?
 

Our historical ties with Africa are the cornerstone of our deep relationships with many countries on the continent. Not only have we sustained these relationships, but with evolving times, we have strengthened them to reflect the realities of today. We have taken Mahatma’s dream forward, and especially PM Modi has been instrumental in leading by example.

The outcomes of India’s G20 Presidency are the best example of how these relationships have grown, paving the way for a new era of growth and prosperity for India and Africa.

How have B20 and the African chapter played a role in bringing about this breakthrough?
 

The B20 Action Council on African Economic Integration, of which I served as Chair, played an active role in supporting the government’s vision of reform and inclusivity. Besides recommending the inclusion of the African Union as a permanent member of the G20, the Action Council also came up with a road map for African economic integration. Transforming agriculture and food systems in Africa, which can help not only overcome shortages but also provide net food security to the world, is another policy recommendation proposed by the Action Council.

Also, the implementation of India’s very successful Digital Public Infrastructure, which just needs to be replicated in a copy-and-paste model with some customisation, offers Africa an affordable ecosystem to promote inclusion, empowerment, and better governance.