African Union (AU):- • The African Union (AU) is a continental union of 55 member states in Africa. • The AU was officially launched on 9 July 2002 in Durban, South Africa. • Its main purpose was to replace the Organization of African Unity (OAU), which began on 25 May 1963 in Addis Ababa and was dissolved on 9 July 2002. • The Assembly of the African Union, a semi-annual meeting of heads of state and government of member states, makes the most important decisions within the AU. • Chairman - Azali Assoumani • Chairman of the Commission - Moussa Faki • Parliamentary Speaker - Fortune Jade Charumbira

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IAS Next Publications
Current
Affairs
September

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African Union becomes permanent member of G20
Context: -
African leaders expressed unanimous
support for the G20's decision to admit
the African Union as a permanent
member of the grouping.
An Overview of the News
 During the 18th G20 meeting in
New Delhi, India, Prime Minister
Narendra Modi officially announced the induction of the African Union (AU)
as the 21st permanent member.
 AU Commission Chair Moussa Faki Mahamat accepted Africa's full
membership in the G20.
 South African President and former AU Chair Cyril Ramaphosa was among
the first to support the decision.
 Prior to this decision, the G20 had only granted observer status to the
African Union since its establishment in 1999 in response to global economic
crises.
African Union (AU):-
 The African Union (AU) is a continental union of 55 member states in Africa.
 The AU was officially launched on 9 July 2002 in Durban, South Africa.
 Its main purpose was to replace the Organization of African Unity (OAU),
which began on 25 May 1963 in Addis Ababa and was dissolved on 9 July
2002.
 The Assembly of the African Union, a semi-annual meeting of heads of state
and government of member states, makes the most important decisions
within the AU.
 Chairman - Azali Assoumani
 Chairman of the Commission - Moussa Faki
 Parliamentary Speaker - Fortune Jade Charumbira
About G20
 It is an international forum of the world's leading economies established in
1999.
 Its primary objective is to promote international financial stability and
sustainable economic growth.
 The G20 serves as a forum to discuss and coordinate policies related to a
wide range of economic and financial issues such as trade, investment,

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employment, energy and climate change.
President of Kenya - William Ruto
President of Egypt - Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi
Implications of BRICS Expansion
Why in news?
During the 15th
BRICS summit, 5
member grouping has invited 6
countries to become new members.
What is BRICS?
 Originally conceived as BRIC by
Jim O'Neill, the grouping
consisted of Brazil, Russia, India, and China.
 Launch- It was launched by a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Brazil,
Russia, India and China in 2006.
 BRIC turned into BRICS in 2010, with the entry of South Africa.
 Chair- Chaired by member countries in rotational basis.
 South Africa is the chair for 2023.
 First summit- It was held in Yekaterinburg in 2009.

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 New Development Bank (NDB)- It is established in 2014 by Fortaleza
declaration. It is formed to provide development assistance. The NDB has
already financed 96 projects valued at 33 billion dollars
 Contingent Reserve Arrangement- It is established to supports countries
facing short-term balance-of-payments pressures.
 BRICS Expansion- It was reported that 40 countries have shown interest in
BRICS’ membership, with 22 having submitted formal applications.
 However, the 5 member grouping had invited 6 new members.
Region Countries
West Asia Iran, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates
Africa Egypt and Ethiopia
Latin America Argentina
What is the need for BRICS expansion?
 Dominance of West- BRICS is formed with the West-dominated
international institutions that had emerged after the Second World War. It
includes
o World Bank,
o International Monetary Fund,
o United Nations and its various bodies, particularly the United Nations
Security Council,
o World Trade Organization.
 Future dynamics- At Johannesburg, the UN Secretary General António
Guterres described those institutions as reflecting “yesterday’s world”. The
United States has led the western alliance in both the political and economic
areas.
 Against West led world order- BRICS challenges West-led world order. It
promotes
o Intra-BRICS economic and political cooperation,
o Builds institutions outside western control, and
o Robustly for wide-ranging reforms to accommodate interests of
emerging economies.
 Fair international order- The Johannesburg Declaration asserts that the
members’ “strategic partnership” will be directed at achieving a more
representative, fairer international order.
 Wider coverage- The proposed BRICS expansion will have 46% of world
population, while its share of the global GDP will go from 31.5% in PPP
terms to 37%, far ahead of the GDP of 30.7% of the G-7.

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 Global trade- With the proposed BRICS expansion the global exports and
global imports will be boosted by 3.7% and 3% respectively.
 Energy sector- The global output will increase from 20% to 42%.
 Geo-strategic value- It will bring considerable geo-strategic value to the
grouping.
Countries Importance
Saudi Arabia 35% of the oil production goes to China and India
Iran
Increased oil production despite US sanction, most of it
goes to China
Egypt and Ethiopia
They are an important presence in the strategically
important Horn of Africa and the Red Sea.
Argentina 2nd
largest economy in Latin America
Russia
Major oil supplier to China and India, now looking at
Brazil as market
 Outlook for global affairs- From 2020, both Saudi Arabia and the UAE have
shrugged off the U.S. yoke and shaped independent foreign policy paths for
themselves.
 Diplomatic relations- Saudi Arabia has pursued de-escalation and dialogue,
ending the Qatar blockade in January 2021, engaging with Turkey, and
opening interactions with Iran from April 2021.
 These regional engagements culminated in the China-brokered accord with
Iran in March this year.
 UAE- Iran -The UAE has also normalised ties with Iran and is focusing on
expanding its maritime footprint across the Gulf, the Gulf of Aden, the Red
Sea and the Horn of Africa.
 Regional cooperation- Iran’s entry into BRICS, besides its role in the energy
sector, opens up opportunities for

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o Accelerated regional economic cooperation,
o Revival of the moribund north-south connectivity projects through
the Chabahar port with which India is associated.
What lies ahead?
 India and other BRICS members insist on asserting their strategic autonomy
in a multipolar world order, with member-nations demanding that their
voices be heard and their interests respected.
 A recent media report described the Johannesburg summit as a “turning
point in modern history”.
G20 New Delhi Declaration
Context: -
The Group of Twenty (G20) recently
adopted the G20 New Delhi Leader’s
Declaration.
Background:-
 The New Delhi Leader’s
Declaration was adopted on
September 9, 2023.
 The Countries committed to, accelerating their actions to address
environmental crises and challenges, including climate change.
About G20 New Delhi Leader’s Declaration:-
 The New Delhi Leader’s Declaration was adopted with consensus on a
number of issues.
 These include sustainable development goals (SDG), climate finance, energy
transitions, using and restoring natural ecosystems, harnessing and
preserving ocean-based economy, plastic pollution, reducing disaster risk,
and building resilient infrastructure.
 In the declaration under the Green Development Pact for a Sustainable
Future, the countries have committed to “urgently accelerate actions to
address environmental crises and challenges, including climate change”.
 Paris Agreement: One of the aims of the declaration is “to tackle climate
change by strengthening the full and effective implementation of the
Paris Agreement and its temperature goal.
 This reflects equity and the principle of common but differentiated
responsibilities and respective capabilities (CBDR).

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 The inclusion of the principles of CBDR is interesting as some developed
G20 countries such as the United States have been averse to the usage.
 The G20 members also cited the findings of the Intergovernmental Panel
on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Synthesis Report.
 It stated that Global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are projected to
peak between 2020 and at the latest before 2025 in global modeled
pathways that limit warming to 1.5°C with no or limited overshoot and in
those that limit warming to 2°C and assume immediate action.
 The G20 members also highlighted the macroeconomic risks stemming
from climate change and transition pathways.
 The G20 countries also noted the institutionalization of the Disaster Risk
Reduction Working Group under the presidency of India, which catalyzed
efforts toward disaster risk reduction.
 The document also talks about accelerating progress on early warning and
early action through strengthening national and local capacities, innovative
financing tools, private sector investments, and knowledge sharing.
The members supported the United Nations initiatives such as the Global Platform
for DRR and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure in “furtherance of
such collaboration and sharing”.