G20 Expands to 21 Members with African Union Admission, U.S. to Host 2026 Summit
The G20, an international economic cooperation forum, has expanded its membership to 21, with the African Union (AU) being admitted as a permanent member during the 2023 New Delhi Summit under India's presidency. This marks the first expansion of the grouping since its inception in 1999. The G20 now comprises 19 individual countries, the European Union, and the African Union. Together, these members represent approximately 85% of global GDP, about 75% of world trade, and two-thirds of the world's population. The forum was initially formed in 1999 as a meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors in response to the Asian financial crisis, aiming to include major emerging economies in discussions on global financial stability. It was elevated to a leaders' summit in 2008 during the global financial crisis to facilitate high-level political decisions. The United States is scheduled to host the G20 leaders' summit in 2026, followed by the United Kingdom in 2027.
