Addis Ababa, January 30, 2025 (FMC) – In a recent interview with TV BRICS, Ethiopia’s Ambassador to the Russian Federation Genet Teshome emphasized the significance of BRICS+ for Ethiopia’s development agenda and foreign policy. He stated that BRICS+ is crucial for Ethiopia, enabling the country to diversify its partnerships within a multipolar world and enhancing economic cooperation with member nations.
Since joining BRICS+ in January 2024, Ethiopia has been seamlessly integrating into the platform, bolstered by Russia’s support, which the Ambassador deemed essential for a smooth transition. The country is actively utilizing various mechanisms provided by BRICS+ to boost trade and investment with its member nations, including Russia, which is increasingly becoming a trading partner.
Ethiopia’s trade relations with Russia are on the rise as the nation aims to engage further with BRICS+. The Ambassador highlighted the critical need for environmental protection and combating desertification, as Ethiopia has been significantly impacted by climate change, despite playing little role in environmental degradation. He pointed out that the BRICS+ framework aligns with Ethiopia’s national initiatives for sustainable development, and that the platform will foster collaborative efforts in environmental protection.
Moreover, the Ambassador noted Ethiopia’s achievements in afforestation through Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s Green Legacy Initiative, which has seen the planting of over 40 billion seedlings, helping to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Culturally, BRICS+ is expected to enhance ties and increase scientific collaboration among member countries. The Ambassador indicated that Ethiopia is keen on advancing cooperation in science, technology, and climate-related research while inviting Russian investors to explore opportunities across various sectors, particularly in tourism and ecotourism.
The long-standing relationship between Ethiopia and Russia, spanning over 126 years, serves as a foundation for expanding bilateral cooperation, the Ambassador noted. He underlined their robust collaboration across political, cultural, and scientific domains, including language studies through the Russian Center for Science and Culture in Addis Ababa and universities in Russia.
Regarding scientific collaboration, the Ambassador noted that the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russia signed MoU with Ethiopia’s Ministry of Education to forage cooperation among universities of the two countries in various sectors including biological research, scholarship and language learning.
He also highlighted the potential for enhancing people to people and cultural exchanges, with initiatives allowing both Russian and Ethiopian students to learn languages of the two countries in respective institutions. The Ambassador extended an invitation to Russian visitors to explore Ethiopia’s rich cultural heritage, including its ancient churches, endemic wild lives and national parks, reaffirming Ethiopia’s commitment to deepening cooperation with Russia across multiple sectors.