Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maitama Tuggar, has said it was improper for G20 to have only one African country as a member when the continent remains the subject of discussion around the globe.......CONTINUE READING THE ARTICLE FROM THE SOURCE>>>>>
Naija News reports that Tuggar said Nigeria was supposed to be admitted as a permanent member of G20, just like South Africa, considering the country’s importance in the continent.
In an interview with News Central, the Minister noted that Europe and Latin America have more than one country in the G20.
Nigeria’s Minister explained that South Africa and the African Union’s membership to the G20 should not be a reason to downplay Nigeria’s place.
He added that though South Africa’s economy has been the highest in the continent, Nigeria’s government has been reforming the nation’s economy to take its place in Africa.
His words: “We’re rebasing or recalculating our economy, nothing taken from South Africa, but we are going to be, once again, the largest economy on the African continent. So South Africa needs a partner in G20, and it’s not enough to just say the African Union is in there as a continental body, because don’t forget that the European Union is part of the G20, and yet Germany is a member. France is a member. Italy is a member.
“If you go to Latin America or South America, Latin America, I would say, you have Argentina, you’ve got Mexico. So they are members, but why should it be Africa that is only allowed one country, and then the next entry would just be the African Union? We need more than one country. Most of these other continents, all except for Australia, which is really just dominated by one country. You could argue that New Zealand is there, but it makes sense if Australia is the only country representing its continent.
“But when it comes to Africa, 55 countries, it’s not good enough, it’s not fair, especially at a time when Africa is the subject that’s being discussed by the entire planet.”