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Speaking at the 45th AU Executive Council meeting about the African Union's participation in the G-20 Summit, Attaf said "AU's G20 membership, as a permanent member, is a valuable and strategic asset. However, throughout the previous months, we were content to welcome this achievement without thinking deeply about how to make the most of it and put it at the service of the priorities and aspirations of our continent, in terms of growth and development."

"We have already decided on the representativeness of the African Union in the meetings of the G20, at all levels, but participation is not a goal in itself."

The minister explained that in this respect, the Algerian delegation "believes that there are two main issues requiring a special interest."

The first issue, according to him, is procedural as it concerns "the method for preparing G20 meetings."

Attaf said that "for Algeria, it is a matter of paramount importance, requiring the mobilisation of all member states to discuss the items on the agenda of the G20 and take unified positions."

For this purpose, he said, "we support the proposal of holding, next September, an extraordinary session of the AU Executive Council to prepare for the forthcoming G20 Summit."

The second issue, according to him, "is objective and essential par excellence," as it concerns "setting the goals to meet as part of AU's G20 membership, but also how to make the most of it so as to achieve the strategic priorities of our continent.

Among Africa's strategic priorities, Attaf cited those linked to "the reform of international financial and monetary institutions, the structural treatment of global debt and the international financing of development."

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