German chancellor Scholz supports seat for the AU in the G20

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia

German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, said he supports the inclusion of the African Union in the G20 group of nations.

Speaking on arrival in Ethiopia on Thursday, Scholz reaffirmed the central role played by the African Union in mediating the crisis in Sudan.

"We want to make our contribution to advancing peace and security. That is why we have been addressing the various difficult security issues in different regions of Africa. Particularly and first and foremost, of course, with regard to the newly erupted conflict in Sudan. And we have discussed in detail the situation. But I also assured all of Germany's support for a peaceful resolution of the conflict, where the African Union, of course, plays a very central role. And that was important to me, but I think it's also very important for the question of further development", said the German chancellor.

In the past, American president Joe Biden and French president Emmanuel Macron, among others, have also advocated for the AU to join the G20.

"I made a very important statement here for the African Union. We want to support that the African Union gets a seat in the G20, that it can participate and have a say. This is out of respect for the continent and its many states and also its growing population."

South Africa is currently the only African member of the G20, which was established in 2008.

After Ethiopia the German chancellor heads to Kenya.

In Kenya, Olaf Scholz hopes to establish partnerships in clean energy with a "pioneer" country where 90% of needs are covered by renewables.

Kenya, already Germany's main trading partner in East Africa, plans to cover all of its energy needs with renewables by 2030.

This is the second trip by Olaf Scholz to Africa since he took office in December 2021.