Egypt's attendance at the G20 summit in India opens the door to new partnerships; enhancing the economic growth of Egypt and Africa.

The summit reflects Cairo's pioneering role in the African and Middle East regions, and globally. It represents an opportunity for a large number of bilateral meetings with many countries that are significant to Egypt in economic and developmental cooperation, which will boost the inflow of foreign capital to Egypt.

Egypt's participation in the G20 summit is a strong opportunity to present the Egyptian and African perspectives economically and politically in front of the global economic and political decision-makers. It also offers Egypt a chance to increase trade exchange and international cooperation.

The G20 perceives Africa as a source of raw materials and strategic minerals, especially those involved in the manufacturing of chips and technology used in the production of missiles, drones, telecommunications equipment, and other precision industries.

Among those strategic minerals are, for instance, coltan, a precious material available in eastern Congo; used in the manufacturing of missile heads and specific aviation industries, in addition to cobalt, lithium, bauxite, chrome, platinum, along with gold and diamonds.

Major powers procure a significant proportion of their mineral needs from the African continent, and the demand for these minerals is expected to increase in the future.

The invitation from the Indian Prime Minister for the African Union to join the G20 was not the first of its kind.

Last December, US President Joe Biden announced that he would support the African Union's permanent membership in the G20, stating that his country looks forward to increasing cooperation with Africa in all fields.

The African continent faces several conventional challenges, which it can overcome through leveraging the step of joining the G20. The most notable of these challenges are: debt issues, accelerating sustainable development steps, implementing structural changes in the economies of those countries, especially in the industrial, agricultural, and service sectors, adopting modern technology, modernizing and developing infrastructure throughout the continent.

The G20 consists of 19 countries plus the European Union, accounting for over 85% of the global Gross Domestic Product and encompasses two-thirds of the world's population. Among its members is one African country, South Africa.

The African Union, which is headquartered in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, includes 55 member states. However, the membership of five countries currently governed by military councils is suspended.

Today, the African Union will play a significant role in international economic decisions, including the largest economic bloc, the G20, thus ending an era of economic marginalization.

The African Union represents a large market of around 1.3 billion people, thereby making a significant addition to the G20 group, adding a substantial market for its products or obtaining imports from African Union countries, especially as Africa now represents a vital figure in the energy equation.

Africa is a principal part in international supply chains, either through the maritime corridors it oversees and is linked to, or through its contributions relating to food exports and energy security.

The global goal of achieving zero carbon emissions by 2050 cannot be realized without the support of the African Union countries.

The African Union will implement the largest African Free Trade Area, which includes all African countries. Its implementation will facilitate and ease economic transactions among the G20 countries.

Moreover, the African Union, especially any of the G20 countries, will initiate a project or export a commodity to any African country, can reach the rest of the continent without customs barriers or new tariffs.

The African Union needs more investments, particularly since Africa receives fewer investments compared to other countries in the world.

The African Union is also anticipating the localization of modern technology from the G20 countries, particularly since Africa sells the majority of its resources as raw materials.

If these raw materials are transformed into manufactured or even semi-manufactured goods, they will have a substantial added value to the African economies.

Through its entry into the G20, Africa hopes to have a significant role in economic decisions, achieving fair outcomes where the relationship between Africa and other countries is based on mutual gains, and not a relationship where one party benefits more than the other, potentially exceeding eighty percent.

Africa hopes that by joining the G20 group, its interests will be taken into consideration, especially regarding loans and grants used for development and sustainable development.