SECAM: AU to Promote Development of Continent at G20: SECAM in Congratulatory Message
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
After the African Union (AU) receive admission as permanent members of the G20 (Group of Twenty) and join the premier forum for international economic cooperation comprising of 19 countries and the European Union (EU) which are some of the world’s richest and powerful countries, Catholic Bishops in Africa and the Islands have welcomed the great move calling on the AU leadership to make good use of G20 and promote the development of the continent.
In their statement shared with AMECEA Online on Sunday, September 15, members of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences in Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) addressed the AU leadership saying, “We hope that the African Union will be able to play a major role in promoting the development of African countries within this organization which brings together several countries from five continents.”
Previously, the AU whose designation has been “invited international organisation,” since they have not been permanent members of G20 and could join the conference as guests, is a continental union of 55-member states within the African continent.
The statement signed by SECAM president Fridolin Cardinal Ambongo of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), on Saturday, September 15, stated further that the bishops in Africa will accompany the AU members and implore “the help of Almighty God so that the African Union can make Africa’s voice heard within the G20 and make its contribution to the establishment of economic justice and lasting peace in the world.”
Besides the EU, other countries who are G20 members include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, and Japan. Others are Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United States of America, and the United Kingdom.
The G20 was founded 24 years ago in 1999 in response to several world economic crises and has been holding annual summits since 2008, involving each member’s head of government or state, finance minister, or foreign minister, and other high-ranking officials.
