Ethiopia's membership in the BRICS economic bloc will create great opportunities to further boost tourism investment in the country, Tourism Minister Nasise Challi told local media.
According to the minister, Ethiopia's accelerated economic growth and its position in the international arena have played a major role in the country's bid to become a BRICS member.
Earlier this week, the BRICS member states endorsed Ethiopia's application to join the bloc at the 15th Summit in Johannesburg. More than 20 countries around the world have officially applied to become BRICS members, but only six countries, namely Ethiopia, Argentina, Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, have been accepted.
The minister explained that Ethiopia's accession to BRICS will significantly contribute to strengthening the country's economic and social development as well as improving the cooperation framework with the members of the association. She added that BRICS membership will also give Ethiopia the opportunity to advocate for Africa's interests on the global stage.
The Ethiopian tourism minister noted that in recent years, the East African country has been actively working to build a diversified economy, focusing on industry, tourism, information technology and mining, in addition to the traditional agricultural sector.
In particular, she pointed to the recent achievements registered in the development of the tourism sector in Ethiopia, highlighting that the country has been able to restore the flow of tourists to what it was before the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier, the minister announced a plan to build 10 new tourist destinations and renovate the existing ones in the next ten years by involving the private sector and international partners.
Moreover, according to the official, the encouraging achievements recorded in the field of diplomacy play a significant role in boosting various economic sectors of the country. Citing Ethiopia's admission to BRICS, she pointed out that the country's recent diplomatic successes highlight its enhanced diplomatic experience.
Her remarks echoed Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's statements on Ethiopia's accession to BRICS. The Ethiopian leader called the development a "great moment" for the country, noting that "this is one of the most extraordinary achievements in history of diplomatic relations ever made."
He emphasized that Ethiopia is ready to cooperate with all international partners for an "inclusive and prosperous global order," in which BRICS could be a "key initiative responding to the repeated calls for a new multilateralism."
More than 20 countries around the world have officially applied to become BRICS members, but only six countries, namely Ethiopia, Argentina, Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, have been accepted. According to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, this is the first of several stages in the expansion of BRICS, which has recently attracted the interest of many countries in the Global South.