Africa now has the promise of a seat at the global table

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President Joe Biden's announcement Dec. 15 that he will support membership of the 55-nation African Union in the Group of 20 nations (G-20) is a crucial step forward for the nations and people of Africa, as well as for the African diaspora in America and around the world.

The G-20 is composed of most of the world's largest economies, including both industrialized and developing nations, and accounts for approximately 80% of the world's GDP.

At long last, membership would give 1.3 billion people on the African continent a significant voice in international relations, trade, development, and policies about climate and democracy. This step is long overdue.

The G-20 will still need to approve the recommendation.

As Mvemba Dizolele, director and senior fellow at the Africa program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told the Washington Post: "The greatest resource of Africa is its people. If we don't tap into that, then the world is going to get some turbulence going forward. The world system is run on the basis of institutions that were set up almost 80 years ago. Those were set up without the voices of Africans … . They've been asking for this space at the table."

The move has special significance for the two of us as Minnesotans who hail from Africa (Nigeria and Ethiopia). While we cherish our new home country, we and our fellow members of the diaspora always want to see Africans and Africa do well.

At present only one African country is a member of the G-20: South Africa. The G-20 is dominated by countries from the Americas, Asia and Europe. Being part of the international conversation would appropriately give Africa more say in how policies are made.

Membership would also provide a sense of equity. At present much Western aid goes to other parts of the world while Africa watches from the sidelines.

As the G-20 considers development and aid, the opportunities for African nations would become closer to reality.

In many ways, Africa is the next frontier in technology, food, agriculture, health care, finance, people power and education. With vast mineral resources, 1.3 billion people and a median age of 19 (the youngest population in the world), Africa represents a unique opportunity for economic development and growth.

Hopefully, soon the G-20 will be collaborating with Africans as partners, not acting alone or trying to call all the shots.

As one Biden administration official acknowledged to Axios: "This administration starts with the conviction that Africans are critical to addressing the most challenging problems of our time. It's a different frame than previous administrations. It's a focus on what we do with Africans, not just what we do in Africa."

This partnership idea is something that many U.S. nonprofits have used successfully with local partners in Africa to build classrooms, provide food security and help support education. One example is Books For Africa (BFA), a St. Paul-based nonprofit, which formed a partnership with the African Union in 2018 to provide thousands of books to the A.U. Library in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and to other locations.

The books have been a vital resource for students, researchers and academics who want to learn about African and global history, health, social and cultural affairs, and politics. BFA continues to ship books to schools, libraries, and universities throughout Africa. It has shipped more than 56 million books and served every one of the 55 African countries in the African Union since its founding in 1988. This includes millions of books sent to our home countries of Nigeria and Ethiopia — connections that we and our colleagues in the African diaspora have helped foster.

In 2015 the African Union adopted "Agenda 2063 — The Africa We Want." The plan said that "development is people-driven, relying on the potential of African people, especially its women and youth, and caring for children."

A major goal is to create "well educated citizens and skills revolution underpinned by science, technology and innovation."

Membership of the African Union in the G-20 can't solve every issue facing Africa. But it will give Africans a seat at the table. As members of the African diaspora, we relish that opportunity.

Mike Essien is a Minneapolis lawyer, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, and president of the board of directors at Books For Africa. Jote Taddese is vice president at Optum-United Health Group, an adjunct professor at the University of St. Thomas and a former president of the board of directors at Books For Africa.