G20 Becomes G21 With Inclusion Of African Union | “Bali Was Bali,” India Defends Ukraine War Wording

The Group of 20 adopted a consensus declaration at a summit on Saturday (September 9) that avoided condemning Russia for the war in Ukraine but called on all states not to use force to grab territory.Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the Leaders’ Declaration had been adopted on the first day of the weekend G20 summit in New Delhi.The consensus came as a surprise as G20 is deeply divided over the war in Ukraine, with Western nations earlier pushing for strong condemnation of Russia in the Leaders' Declaration, while others demanded a focus on broader economic issues.Earlier, the African Union was made a permanent member of the G20, comprising the world's richest and most powerful countries, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at the bloc's summit in New Delhi on September 9.Modi, in his opening remarks at the summit, invited the AU, represented by Chairperson Azali Assoumani, to take a seat at the table of G20 leaders as a permanent member.