Russian Diplomat Highlights Lavrov’s Role in Admitting Ethiopia to BRICS

It will become a member of the association from January 1, 2024

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova Petr Kovalev/TASS

© Petr Kovalev/TASS

MOSCOW, August 28. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov played a colossal diplomatic role on the issue of Ethiopia’s accession to BRICS, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Monday.

"Yes, I can confirm this. This is true indeed. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov played a colossal diplomatic role on the matter of Ethiopia’s full-fledged membership in BRICS," she said in an interview with an evening program on the Rossiya-1 television channel.

The 15th BRICS summit was held in Johannesburg, South Africa, from August 22 to 24, 2023 and was chaired by South Africa. With the leaders of 54 African nations invited, this was the biggest meeting of the heads of state and government of the Global South in recent years. Participants in the summit agreed that Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates will join the association from January 1, 2024. A new list of possible members will be compiled by the next BRICS summit.