Biden champions African Union admission to G20 first expansion of the body since its 1999 founding

At the G20 Summit in New Delhi, India, the African Union is formally admitted as a permanent member of the G20, the first expansion of the 20-country group since its founding in 1999. President Biden had championed the AU's inclusion, framing it as part of his broader effort to build US partnerships across Africa and counter China's influence on the continent. The AU's 55 member states represent more than 1.4 billion people. Biden also selects Africa as the first and flagship economic corridor under his Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI) initiative, a democratic alternative to China's Belt and Road. The AU admission is celebrated by African leaders as long-overdue recognition of the continent's importance in global governance.