Egypt Calls G20 to Guarantee Permanent Seat for Africa

Egypt alongside Senegal and Ghana called G20 for granting a permanent seat for Africa, according to a report by Bloomberg on Tuesday.

Bloomberg highlighted that the Egyptian, Senegalese, and Ghanian ministries of finance sent a letter to the group asking for more African engagement in the light of the tragic jumps of energy and grain prices globally due to the Russian military operation in Ukraine.

The letter that was sent to the G20 by Senegalese Economy Minister Amadou Hott, Ghanaian Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta and Egyptian Finance Minister Mohamed Maait said: “Having Africa as a member through the African Union, will strengthen the G20,” adding: “Increasing the continent’s representation in the G-20 deliberations will allow for continuity and a more responsive engagement."

African Union Spokesperson Ebba Kalondo highlighted that the African Union needs to be represented in the G20 such as the European bloc, reflecting: “Africans should be fully represented at the world’s key decision forums, not just observers,” Kalondo said. “The G20 can and must set the bar in this regard.”

It is worthy to mention that the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has issued an urgent warning about an increase in the number of people suffering from hunger globally.

The ICRC has warned that Africa alone has about 346 million people who do not have enough food, representing a quarter of the continent’s population, according to the German news agency.

“We are facing an emergency and rapidly deteriorating situation with regard to global food security, especially in parts of Africa and the Middle East,” said Robert Mardini, Secretary-General of the ICRC