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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 525 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 525

 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the African 
         Union should be a permanent member of the Group of 20.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 20, 2023

   Ms. Jacobs (for herself, Mr. Jackson of Illinois, Mrs. Cherfilus-
McCormick, Mr. Allred, Ms. Kamlager-Dove, and Mr. Meeks) submitted the 
 following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the African 
         Union should be a permanent member of the Group of 20.

Whereas the Group of 20, or G20, is an important intergovernmental forum for 
        international economic cooperation, and which plays a critical role in 
        shaping and strengthening global architecture and governance on all 
        major international economic issues;
Whereas, currently, the G20 represents approximately 65 percent of the world's 
        population, 85 percent of the world's GDP, and 75 percent of global 
        trade;
Whereas, currently, South Africa is the only African country that is a member of 
        the G20, and approximately 96 percent of Africa's population are not 
        represented in the forum;
Whereas the African Union is composed of 55 members, representing approximately 
        1.4 billion people, a population that is projected to grow to 2.5 
        billion people by 2050;
Whereas Africa has vast, untapped economic potential, based on the projected 
        sizable increase in its labor force, potential to increase value-added 
        economic activity, a substantial natural resource base, scope for 
        substantial growth in currently low average income levels, and other 
        factors, but also faces complex challenges relating to its economic 
        development prospects, potential climate change impacts, and other 
        global policy issues, which are likely to require close African 
        cooperation with other global regions to manage and resolve;
Whereas 54 of 55 African Union members are signatories of the agreement 
        establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which 
        entered into force in 2019 and seeks to create the world's largest free 
        trade area and a single continental market, and expand intraregional 
        trade and African trade with the world;
Whereas the African Union established the Africa Centres for Disease Control and 
        Prevention in 2016, including with support from the United States, and 
        the Centres played a key role in the African response to the COVID-19 
        pandemic;
Whereas the G20 has several initiatives that impact African countries, including 
        the G20 Compact with Africa, which was launched in 2017 during Germany's 
        G20 presidency and is a joint program supported by the International 
        Monetary Fund, the African Development Bank, and the World Bank to 
        enhance private sector finance;
Whereas making the African Union a permanent member would make the G20 
        representative of approximately 80 percent of the global population; and
Whereas, during the 2022 United States-Africa Leaders Summit, President Biden, 
        asserting that ``Africa belongs at the table in every room--in every 
        room where global challenges are being discussed and in every 
        institution where discussions are taking place,'' announced United 
        States support for the accession of the African Union to the G20 as a 
        permanent member of the group: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the African Union's accession into the G20 as 
        a permanent member;
            (2) urges increased representation of African countries in 
        decision-making roles within the United Nations bodies, other 
        multilateral agencies and fora, and other elements of the 
        global governance system; and
            (3) calls on the United States to use its voice, vote, and 
        influence at the G20 to expeditiously facilitate the African 
        Union's permanent membership in the G20.
                                 <all>
```