A few days ago, Ethiopia took part in the 17th BRICS Summit of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where it was represented by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) and a delegation of high government officials, including the foreign minister and the government communications minister. The Summit was opened on Sunday, July 6, 2025, under the theme “Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance” and ended on the 7th July.
Leaders and senior representatives from BRICS member states and partner countries met to assess progress made since the beginning of the year across three key areas, namely, politics and security, economic and financial cooperation, and cultural and humanitarian affairs.
The Summit was attended by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the host country, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, and Indonesian President and China’s Prime Minister Li Qiang. Russia was represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and President Vladimir Putin participated in the plenary session via videoconference.
Delegations from other BRICS member states included the Crown Prince of the UAE, the Egyptian Prime Minister, and the Iranian Foreign Minister. Also in attendance were ten BRICS partners, namely Belarus, Bolivia, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, and Uzbekistan. Nine international and regional organizations were also represented, with additional invited countries that include Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kenya, Colombia, Mexico, Chile, and Uruguay.
On July 6th, the first day of the summit, after the official arrival ceremony for heads of state and government, the plenary session was held on “Peace and Security and Reform of Global Governance” and “Strengthening Multilateralism, Economic-Financial Affairs, and Artificial Intelligence”. And the next day, discussions continued “Environment, COP30 and Global Health”.
At this same summit in Rio, the heads of state and government have officially endorsed the Tropical Forests Forever Fund, a Brazilian initiative designed to deliver large-scale, predictable, and performance-based payments to countries conserving tropical forests. The fund aims to expand global forest cover while securing long-term environmental and climate stability.
The Tropical Forest Forever Fund is set for official launch at COP30, scheduled for November 2025 in Belem, Brazil, under the country’s presidency. The BRICS Leaders Framework Declaration on Climate Finance, also released during the summit, highlighted the Tropical Forest Forever Fund as a promising blend of finance instruments capable of generating predictable, long-term financial flows for forest protection.
Besides, on the occasion of the two-day summit, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) had the opportunity to meet many leaders on the sidelines of the summit and talked about Ethiopia’s relations with them on a bilateral and multilateral level. On the opening of the summit, he stressed the urgent need for international institutions that can strengthen mutual trust and promote enhanced and more productive cooperation. His speech was mainly focused on world peace and security situations, and governance at the global stage. He also stressed the need for international financial institutions and their structures to be reformed and the norms that administer them, reiterating that these institutions should also promote collective security and shared prosperity.
Since Ethiopia joined BRICS in 2023, it has been contributing to the efforts of expanding the representation of emerging markets and developing countries in the world’s decision-making processes. In this regard, the premier said the influence of BRICS is growing, and it would be an opportunity for countries such as Ethiopia to have their say in the international arena. The premier added, “BRICS has grown from a bold idea into a dynamic force for global transformation. With the addition of new members, our collective voice grows stronger, our shared purpose becomes clearer, and our potential expands.”
According to officials who were in attendance at the summit, Ethiopia has demonstrated during the summit that its national interests are kept intact, with the principle of non-interference reiterated. The issue of inclusiveness and equity of the global governance system and reform was also discussed. Prime Minister Abiy has emphasized the importance of Africa’s voice being equally represented in all international institutions and that it should also be allowed to increase its level of participation.
Regarding the issue of strengthening the South-South cooperation, the premier noted that Ethiopia, as a country that has a long and glorious history and diverse cultural heritage, is committed to bolstering its collaboration with other countries and is gaining insights from their experience.
Ethiopia, the premier said, is reaping the benefits of its partnership with BRICS. According to Abiy, the BRICS Development Bank serves as a financial institution that provides an alternative to unequal access to finance and credit on a global scale, which is advantageous for Ethiopia. He also underscored the necessity of collaboration to leverage the opportunities presented by the digital realm while also addressing the risks associated with it. Ethiopia is engaged in significant efforts in AI and is seeking to partner with the members of BRICS in this regard.
With regards to climate change, Ethiopia is not merely engaged in discussions but also demonstrating as a practical example for the world to follow. With more than forty billion tree seedlings planted in the past six years alone, it has not only covered the country with more forests but it has also attained the level of 23.5 percent from 17 percent six years ago. Such performance has not only been lauded by environmentalists but has also become an exemplary achievement in the bid to fight climate change and combat its damages. It has created a national movement towards making the country greener and more secure in terms of the production of agricultural items such as wheat, coffee, and even fruits.
Furthermore, on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Rio, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has held diplomatic engagements with world leaders in attendance. Among them were the leaders of Brazil, China, South Africa, and the foreign ministers of various nations. These engagements offered a valuable opportunity to strengthen bilateral ties and promote greater understanding and support for Ethiopia’s position on certain key strategic issues.
The premier held initial talks with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil on ways of strengthening the bilateral cooperation between the two countries. The president had the opportunity to gain deeper insight into the current Ethiopian situation, its policies, and the regional context of East Africa as a whole.
In the talks the premier had with the Chinese foreign minister Li Qiang, there was an occasion for strengthening the bilateral relations between the two countries and the constructive role China has been playing in the economic development and industrialization of Ethiopia. The premier has acknowledged the positive role of China in securing debt relief for Ethiopia through the Paris Club framework.
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The two leaders also discussed the views that Ethiopia can better access the Chinese market through the recently extended duty-free export opportunities to African countries, including Ethiopia. Following the interruption of the African Growth and Opportunities Act, AGOA, certain African leaders, including Ethiopia, were denied access to the US market duty-free. This has certainly created a void that countries such as China would be willing to take over, according to certain observers of world geopolitics.
In the talks Premier Abiy held with the President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, South Africa’s role regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, GERD, on the occasion of the tenure of president as Chairperson of the AU was highlighted with appreciation.
Their discussion also covered the current status of the Dam and its progress towards completion. It is to be recalled that the premier, a few days before the BRICS summit in Rio, had announced to the world and the MPs in Addis that the GERD would be officially inaugurated in the presence of many illustrious international guests. On the same occasion, the premier was heard inviting the leaders of Egypt and Sudan, and other Nile Basin countries representatives for the official inauguration of the Dam.
Ethiopia has also shown its interest in drawing lessons, technologies, and investments from the BRICS partners, recognizing that there are multiple sectors where Ethiopia can not only benefit but also contribute like for example, the Green Legacy, an unprecedented initiative that has been consistent for the past six years.