Japan’s government has extended an invitation to the African Union to attend the upcoming G7 summit, but South Africa, a regular attendee, has been excluded. Comoros President Azali Assoumani, who currently chairs the continental body, is expected to represent Africa at the talks in Hiroshima, as confirmed by South Africa’s presidency in a statement on Monday.
In an announcement, the Japanese government, as the host of the G7 summit, stated that they have decided to invite the African Union instead of individual countries from Africa. As a result, the President of Comoros, who holds the current chairmanship, will be attending the G7 plus meetings, while South Africa will not be present.
The global summit, scheduled to take place from May 19-21, will see leaders from the world’s most powerful nations convene. The African Union, which consists of 55 member states, has been striving to become a permanent member of the Group of 20 wealthy nations. In December, the AU received support for its bid from US President Joe Biden.
