Africa set to leverage advantages from G20

African countries should use the opportunity of G20 membership to promote trade and investment with the world's most powerful countries, experts said ahead of this year's G20 summit.

Sizo Nkala, a senior research fellow at the University of Johannesburg's Centre for Africa-China Studies, told China Daily that the African Union joining the Group of 20 is an important step for Africa to increase its visibility on the global stage, and gives it the opportunity to negotiate with rich nations on equal terms.

This year's G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is the first to be held with the African Union as a member. Last year, the G20 accepted the AU as a permanent member of the group.