The AU must not just be a passenger within the G20 network, but should see its membership as an opportunity to provide leadership to a broken global system.

On 9 September 2023, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent waves of optimism through Africa as he declared the African Union (AU) a permanent member of the G20.

The announcement was well received by the participants from the wealthiest countries in the world during the G20 summit in New Delhi, India. The world watched as Modi embraced the chair of the AU, Comoros President Azali Assoumani, who majestically took his seat at the elite meeting.

The AU's long walk to the G20 began several years ago and included the establishment of the G20 Compact with Africa (CwA) in 2017 - under the German G20 presidency - to promote private investment and infrastructure development on the continent.

Anticipation grew following the recent expansion of BRICS membership in Johannesburg and the mounting, genuinely warranted calls for global governance institutions to undergo democratisation and reform.

While this is a noteworthy development, the "refusal" of the current Big Five (P5) to allow for the reform of the United Nations Security Council, specifically the prospect of extending permanent membership to AU member states, highlights a stark contradiction in the UN's professed commitment to the principles of democratisation and global equity.

Members of the G20 collectively...