ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia's membership into the BRICS family would enhance its access to more economic opportunities, drive growth, and address development challenges, an Ethiopian scholar has said.

Mukerrem Miftah, assistant professor at the Ethiopian Civil Service University, told Xinhua recently that Ethiopia's membership into the BRICS group would scale up its bilateral and multilateral relations with the bloc's members, especially with China, the world's second-largest economy.

"Those countries which are now members of the BRICS would have a much strengthened, institutionalized, patterned, and strategically enduring relationship," said Miftah in an interview with Xinhua.

In January 2024, Ethiopia officially became the newest member of the BRICS group of nations, comprising China, Brazil, Russia, India, and South Africa, among others.

According to the scholar, the BRICS' institutional arrangement gives member states a sense of stability, predictability, and strategic oversight, and facilitates lasting and strong relations among them.

Miftah noted that Ethiopia's decision to join the BRICS was tuned in a way that addresses its own economic and social challenges, through boosting trade and investment relations and securing humanitarian and developmental assistance from the member states such as China.

Noting that Ethiopia could benefit from the BRICS membership, he also stressed other member states could successfully capitalize on the great market opportunities provided by the East African country.

"Ethiopia has more than 120 million people, and that is going to be much bigger in the coming years. I believe many countries of the BRICS would benefit from the market opportunity this population can offer," said Miftah.

Ethiopia is one of the ancient states and founding members of the African Union. The scholar believes that other BRICS member states can enhance their influence in the Horn of Africa through their ally with Ethiopia, which is also a major nation in the region.

Miftah said Ethiopia's membership into the BRICS family will also strengthen its economic and political cooperation with the member states, enabling the East African country to carry on political relations in an institutionalized and mutually beneficial manner.

He further said the BRICS mechanism promotes interstate cooperation, especially during economic and political crises, unlike the West which is accused of taking advantage of this chaos.

His remarks came ahead of the BRICS summit that would take place next month in Russia, the rotating chair of the bloc this year. The summit will be the first meeting of leaders after the expansion of BRICS. The summit is expected to focus on topics such as politics, security, economy, and culture, among others. Enditem

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