BRICS Envisages Promoting Harmony, Deepening Integration within Global Majority: Ambassador Terekhin

Addis Ababa March 4/2024 (ENA)The BRICS cooperation network is expected to promote harmony and deepen integration within the Global Majority around the world, Russian Ambassador to Ethiopia Evgeny Terekhin said.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, Ambassador Terekhin said accession of new members including Ethiopia is strengthening BRICS strategic partnership, international and economic standing of the association.

“When it comes to the possibilities of deepening economic integration of Ethiopia (to BRICS) on many levels, the figures are self-evident,” the ambassador emphasized. 

According to him, BRICS is not based on bloc principle but on the principles of mutual respect, a sovereign choice of development path and the implementation of the fundamental principle of the UN Charter, that is, the sovereign equality of states.

“BRICS is always open to an equal dialogue aimed at looking for a balance of interests” Terekhin added.

The ambassador stated the share of the bloc stands about 25 percent of global exports.

“The aggregate GDP of the BRICS countries in terms of purchasing power parity has reached about one third of the global value and has exceeded that of the G7 countries. The BRICS countries account for 30 percent of dry land and 45 percent of the world's population, a substantial part of the global production of oil and other resources, and about 25 percent of global exports,” 

According to him, BRICS has the ability to form a global agenda by consistently upholding the interests of the global majority and offering their views on the contours of the future world order based on objective events rather than artificial schemes designed to hinder humankind’s development.

Furthermore, Terekhin underscored that BRICS activities and initiatives do not amount to attempts to force something on somebody else.

“Among other things, BRICS represents a cooperation network for regional and sub-regional processes in and between Eurasia, Africa and Latin America. This cooperation network is expected to promote harmony and deepen integration within the global majority around the world. BRICS is always open to an equal dialogue aimed at looking for a balance of interests,” he added.

It is to be recalled that BRICS, a group of major emerging economies, welcomed Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as the new members since January 2024.