APA-Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) The government in Addis Ababa Thursday announced it has officially applied to join the BRICS emerging economies group comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
The Ethiopian ministry of foreign affairs revealed the membership bid as leaders of the BRICS nations prepare to hold their annual summit in Johannesburg from 22 to 24 August 2023.
The summit is expected to deliberate on the requests from several countries wanting to join the group, a bloc seen as a powerful emerging-market alternative to the West.
In his press briefing today, Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Ambassador Meles Alem disclosed Ethiopia’s formal application for membership of the BRICS.
“We expect BRICS will give us a positive response to the request we have made,” Ambassador Meles said.
The East African nation is among 20 countries that have applied either formally or informally to join the group.
The bloc of the top emerging economies is open to add new members.
“We are happy to see a growing number of countries expressing their desire to join the BRICS family,” Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu said at a meeting of the bloc’s top diplomats in Cape Town on June 2.
Brazil, Russia, India and China initially formed the bloc in 2009, with South Africa joining in 2010.
The five countries account for 41 percent of the world’s population, 24 percent of the global GDP, and 16 percent of the global trade.
MG/as/APA