It has been a year since Ethiopia got the privilege to join the BRICS along with other countries like Iran and the United Arab Emirates. A bloc covering the vast portion of the world’s population and nations with stronger and promised economic development is expected to bring a new way of doing business in the vast western dominated world. BRICS will promise to bring a competitive system that the world is crying for these days. Ethiopia’s involvement in this bloc could be considered as one of the diplomatic successes of the country.
Working and partnering with major economic giants of the world under one big umbrella, Ethiopia can be much benefited through defending its national interests and increasing its chance to create strong economic and political partnership with the member states. Ethiopia’s diplomatic success throughout history remains the same as the country managed to be entitled as BRICS member.
After accepted as an official member of the bloc, Ethiopia coupled with the recently joined states held their first meeting: the 16th BRICS Summit or the Kazan Summit, in Kazan, Russia a few days ago. Ethiopian delegation has also been participated in the meeting. The meeting has been a better platform for Ethiopia to express its interest in various international matters. The country has advocated the importance of the emergence of the bloc coupled with expressing its concerns regarding the long awaited reform in various international and financial organizations.
Delivering a speech at the summit, Abiy Ahmed (PhD), Ethiopian Prime Minister explained the importance of BRICS membership stating that the bloc covers nearly half of the world’s population and over a third of global GDP. Abiy emphasized that BRICS is well-positioned to drive sustainable global development and promote economic growth.
“To unlock this potential, global governance structures must become more inclusive and responsive to the needs of developing and emerging economies,” Abiy stated. He criticized the current international financial system, calling for comprehensive reform to create a more equitable framework. He also urged BRICS to lead by example, fostering mutually beneficial cooperation that supports not only its members but also the development goals of other emerging economies.
Abiy pointed to Ethiopia’s fast-growing economy as a valuable opportunity for BRICS nations to invest and collaborate in areas like trade and agriculture. Ethiopia’s vast natural resources and strategic access to African markets position it as a key partner in the bloc’s economic strategy, he added.
Echoing the Prime Minister’s message, National Bank of Ethiopia Governor Mamo Mihretu stressed the need for an effective multilateral system. “The current system doesn’t reflect today’s reality. For instance, no African country holds a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, which has real-world consequences,” he noted. The IMF’s voting structure, pointing out that small Western nations have more influence than large developing countries like China and India, distorting financial governance, Mamo criticized.
“We need better representation in global financial institutions,” Mamo stressed, adding that Ethiopia’s IMF quota is inadequate and does not reflect its economic progress. He called for reforms that would enhance access to international financing for developing nations.
Similarly, it was reported that Gedion Timotheos, Ethiopia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, has underscored that diplomatic and political efforts aimed at protecting Ethiopia’s national interests and global clout were successfully carried out during the BRICS Leaders’ Summit.
Providing an overview of Ethiopia’s participation in the Kazan Summit, Foreign Minister Gedion Timotheos highlighted Ethiopia’s delegation has actively engaged in extensive discussions on a variety of crucial agendas. Ethiopia’s presence at the summit facilitated significant diplomatic efforts, ensuring the nation’s interests were safeguarded and its voice was amplified on the global stage.
The Minister also pointed out that the summit led to important decisions on matters such as economic cooperation, regional security, and the reform of the United Nations Security Council.
According to Gedion, Ethiopia not only defended its national interests during the summit but also aligned itself with the collective positions of the African continent in these key discussions.
He further mentioned that numerous countries seeking partnerships with BRICS nations attended the summit, where Ethiopia held productive bilateral talks with representatives from various countries.
In particular, he noted that some BRICS partner countries approached Ethiopia for support in their bid to gain full membership in the organization.
Gedion also touched upon the discussions between Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Russian President Vladimir Putin, emphasizing Ethiopia’s long-standing historical ties with Russia. Numerous bilateral agreements have been signed with Russia in various sectors over the years, and their discussions at the summit focused on deepening cooperation between the two nations.
On top of that, BRICS member and partner countries have expressed their interest in working together with Ethiopia in the areas of peace and security, according to Ambassador Redwan Hussein, Director-General of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS).
Ambassador Redwan Hussein, who provided a briefing regarding Ethiopia’s participation in the summit, highlighted that peace and security were key topics of discussion during the summit.
In his remarks, Ambassador Redwan emphasized that various global conflicts and tensions are having a negative impact on peace and security and are causing harm to civilians.
He pointed out that the growing threat posed by cyber-attacks, misinformation, and hate speech, which are increasingly affecting global peace in the current digital era. The Summit has reflected on the need for countries to work together to strengthen institutions in this sector to maintain global peace and stability.
BRICS member countries have reaffirmed their commitment to reforming their security institutions and enhancing their collective contribution to global peace and security, ambassador Redwan explained. Ethiopia is emerging as a growing and transforming nation and several countries have highlighted the importance of Ethiopia playing a key role in peace and security, especially in light of current global challenges. In light of considering this, the countries participating in the summit, he added, have shown their willingness to cooperate with Ethiopia on these matters.
Furthermore, Ambassador Redwan mentioned that Ethiopia’s contributions during the BRICS Summit have been well-received, and that the discussions aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation have been fruitful.
Ambassador Redwan also indicated that Ethiopia’s participation and productive discussions with various countries during the summit demonstrated the potential for expanding Ethiopia’s bilateral cooperation with a range of nations, particularly in the areas of peace and security.
BY STAFF REPORTER
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD TUESDAY 5 NOVEMBER 2024
