Along with the reinforcement of the economic cooperation, Ethiopia’s membership to BRICS will enhance the country’s influence on the multilateral forums, National Security Adviser to the Prime Minister, Redwan Hussain said.
The official emphasized the efforts of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in promoting Ethiopia's contribution in Africa, which facilitated the acceptance of the country's request to join the organization.
Redwan also noted that the strengthening of BRICS would allow the global market to have an alternative to US dollar.
"This is an important role in improving the benefits of developing countries, including Ethiopia, by expanding development financing options," he was quoted by the media as saying.
The country's State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Birtukan Ayano, in turn, named the diplomatic efforts carried out over the past year, including raising the state's influence in international forums, as one of the factors that enabled Ethiopia to get endorsed.
"The acceptance of Ethiopia's request to become a BRICS member is an indication of this [growing weight of the country on the multilateral fora]," she said.
Along with Ethiopia, countries such as Argentina, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were approved as future members of the bloc at the 15th BRICS Summit, which took place on August 22-24 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Different experts on the subject and the officials underscore other advantages of Ethiopia's membership in the group. For instance, the country's Ambassador to Russia Cham Ugala Uriat noted deepening of cooperation in areas such as trade, tourism and technology transfer.
Yasin Ahmed, President of the Ethiopian Institute for Public Diplomacy, pointed out the opportunity to diversify the state's political, economic, and security alliances within the organization as well as a chance to develop its agricultural sector.
The importance of joining BRICS was also highlighted by Abiy Ahmed, who noted that the membership of the state will "help Ethiopian people and the country", adding that BRICS is getting to be "one of the most popular voices all over the world these days."
Ian Liebenberg, a political scientist and professor at the University of Namibia and Stellenbosch University in South Africa, told Sputnik Africa that Ethiopia's entry into the BRICS group of emerging economies would be beneficial for both sides.