Ethiopia's accession to the BRICS has opened up new opportunities for deepening economic cooperation between the African country and Russia. This was stated by the Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Addis Ababa Evgeny Terekhin in an exclusive interview with the Ethiopian news agency ENA.
The diplomat stressed that an exceptionally high level of political understanding and cooperation has been achieved between the two countries. "We are witnessing not only well-developed bilateral relations and cooperation in various areas, but also the participation of both countries in BRICS," Terekhin said. He added that Ethiopia's membership in the association has provided all participating countries, including Russia, with significantly better opportunities to strengthen bilateral ties.
Russia's BRICS presidency in 2024 played a special role in boosting cooperation. According to the Ambassador, this has created additional mechanisms and formats for interaction, allowing us to bring relations to a qualitatively new level.
In the economic sphere, as Terekhin acknowledged, progress lags somewhat behind political interaction, but the positive dynamics are obvious. "We are also moving forward. Perhaps not as fast as we would like, but we can still see progress in this direction," the diplomat stated.
The Russian ambassador expressed confidence that in the near future the economic partnership between Moscow and Addis Ababa will become more visible in the international arena. He named energy, trade, food security and other sectors of mutual interest for both countries as key areas for developing cooperation.
Ethiopia's accession to the BRICS in January 2024, along with Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, significantly strengthened the union's position on the African continent. For Ethiopia itself, membership in the group opens up access to new markets, investment opportunities, and multilateral cooperation mechanisms.
It is expected that the further development of Russian-Ethiopian economic ties will receive a new impetus during the upcoming BRICS summit, which is scheduled for October 22-24, 2024 in Kazan. The event will be the culmination of the Russian presidency of the association and will determine the future directions of the organization's development.
Experts note that strengthening economic cooperation within the framework of the BRICS is in line with the strategic interests of both Russia and Ethiopia, creating the basis for a long-term and mutually beneficial partnership in the context of the formation of a multipolar global architecture.
