Will the EU take advantage of the absence of Russia and China at the G20?

According to Russia's TASS news agency, Bloomberg news agency recently cited sources saying that senior EU officials intend to take advantage of the absence of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit in New Delhi, India to influence many African guests.

European officials plan to hold a series of sideline meetings with their African counterparts as “the 27-nation bloc wants to show that it is serious about redefining its partnership with Africa, despite the complex legacy of colonialism,” it said.

Officials expected to attend the meetings include European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. On the African side, the leaders of South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria and Comoros are expected to be represented.

The EU is seeking to secure full membership of the G20 for the African Union, not just a permanent guest, sources said. The parties will also discuss the Ukraine conflict and its consequences for global food security, as well as reforming the global financial architecture, improving conditions for private investment, implementing infrastructure projects on the African continent, and the situation in the Sahel region.

The G20 summit will be held in New Delhi on September 9 and 10 in a virtual format. All member states, along with nine other countries (Bangladesh, Egypt, Spain, Mauritius, Nigeria, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Singapore), are expected to attend. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will represent Russia at the summit, while the Chinese delegation will be led by Premier Li Qiang.