German chancellor, on ‘charm offensive’ in East Africa, backs G20 seat for AU

Germany supports the inclusion of the African Union (AU) in the G20 group of nations, the country’s Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, said on Thursday, May 4, as he arrived in Kenya on a three-day trip in East Africa, that will also take him to Kenya. The visits are meant to advance talks on trade and co-operation pacts with the two countries.

Scholz’s tour is widely seen as part of a European effort to make inroads with countries of the so-called Global South and push back against Russian and Chinese influence. Berlin — much like Washington — is convinced that Western democratic nations can make better partners with Africa than can China that has faced criticism for its so-called ‘debt-trap diplomacy.’

Beijing has been accused of using its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as part of a manipulative global strategy, funding major infrastructure projects especially across Africa, which has turned it into the world’s largest government creditor to developing nations, with poorer borrowers struggling to manage their debt loads. Hence the EU and the US have touted their own alternatives to the BRI, but both schemes rely on private lenders, making their prospects uncertain.
During his talks in Ethiopia and Kenya, Scholz reportedly wants to discuss the challenge of debt reduction and plans to use the trip to deepen trade ties and discuss cooperation on green hydrogen.

Accompanied by a large business delegation, Scholz sees Kenya as a promising partner as the country already gets over 90% of its electricity from renewable energies and aims to reach 100% by 2030. The EU and Kenya are already in the advanced stage to seal an Interim Economic Partnership Agreement and Germany hopes that such a deal can be used as a springboard to seal a wider free trade deal between the EU and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

While in Ethiopia, Scholz joined the chorus of other leaders, like US President Joe Biden, who have advocated for the AU to join the G20. “We want to support that the African Union gets a seat in the G20, that it can participate and have a say. This is out of respect for the continent and its many states and also its growing population,” Scholz said.