NEW DELHI, September 9. /TASS/. Leaders of G20 nations believe that inclusion of the African Union into the G20 will significantly contribute to addressing the global challenges of the present time, according to the final declaration of the New Delhi summit of the group.

"We welcome the African Union as a permanent member of the G20 and strongly believe that inclusion of the African Union into the G20 will significantly contribute to addressing the global challenges of our time. We commend the efforts of all G20 members which paved the way for accession of the African Union as a permanent member during India’s Presidency of the G20. Africa plays an important role in the global economy. We commit to strengthen our ties with and support the African Union realize the aspirations under Agenda 2063," the document reads.

"We are supportive of further discussing the deepening of cooperation between the G20 and other regional partners," G20 states added.

Earlier, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi said that the African Union’s entry to the G20 had made the group more inclusive. "For a G20, which is more inclusive and more vocal for Global South!" Arindam Bagchi wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

The summit in New Delhi is running in an in-person format on September 9-10. Invitations were sent to all G20 leaders, as well as heads of nine other countries: Bangladesh, Egypt, Spain, Mauritius, Nigeria, the Netherlands, the UAE, Oman and Singapore. Russia is represented at the summit by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.