Ethiopia Joins BRICS ?- signaling shift in the country’s relevance or a PR exercise?

The #BRICS, an informal grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, has accepted #Ethiopia as its newest member.

?The BRICS was founded in 2006 with the goal of promoting economic cooperation and development among its members. The group has since become a major force in the global economy, accounting for nearly 25% of global GDP. The group's relevance was brought to the limelight after the Russia-Ukraine war. Many of the analyses I read and posts I listened to have one thing in common: the reason why the BRICS came into being, and its raison d'etre is addressing grievances on the post-WWII global economic and governance architecture. The way the IMF and WB managed their affairs, the exclusiveness of the UN Security Council, the challenges of reforming these post-WWII institutions, and how global conflicts are being managed are some of the issues the group expected to address. ?

?The two major achievements of the BRICS since its establishment are the establishment of the Development Bank and associated funding. The biggest failure of the group, on the other hand, was the failure to have a common voice on some pressing global challenges, including the response to COVID-19. ?It is worth noting that it came into being on the backdrop of the ARV (HIV/ADIS) crisis and has failed thus far to have a common public health stand against global pandemics.

?The Ethiopian government and party-owned media were busy the whole of yesterday trying to convince us - Ethiopians about Ethiopia's membership in the BRICS as a sign of the country's growing economic and political importance. They have been busy portraying Ethiopia as one of the fastest-growing economies in Africa. They claim that the country's membership in the BRICS will boost its economic growth and give it access to new markets and investment opportunities. However, these media outlets failed to mention that, come January 2024, Ethiopia will be the only country among the group with the highest inflation rate, the lowest foreign currency reserve, and engulfed with continuous internal conflict.

?There is no doubt that its selection amongst the 40 countries who have applied, noting that a number of countries have expressed interest – formally countries like Algeria and informally like Nigeria – were not considered at this phase of the BRICS expansion, heralding a positive diplomatic victory for Ethiopia.

?Some analysts assert that the BRICS' decision to accept Ethiopia is also a sign of the group's changing priorities. In recent years, the BRICS has become increasingly focused on issues such as climate change and development cooperation. Ethiopia's membership in the group will likely strengthen the BRICS' commitment to these issues.

?The UN Security Council and other multilateral organizations have historically failed Ethiopia in its critical moments. Could BRICS be any different?

Furthermore, the BRICS brings together geo-political archrivals: India and China, Iran and Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Ethiopia, and Brazil and Argentina. One clear relevance of the group for these geo-political foes is that it provides one more platform to ease their age-old tensions. And, Egypt and Ethiopia will have additional opportunities to discuss and agree on the issues pertaining to the GERD and the use of the Nile (Abbay) river.

?However, the BRICS' decision to accept Ethiopia is not without its critics. Some argue that the group is already too large and unmanageable and that Ethiopia's membership will only make it more difficult for the BRICS to reach a consensus on important issues. Others argue that Ethiopia is not a true emerging economy and that its membership in the BRICS is based on political considerations rather than economic ones. BRICS has been known as a brand for emerging economies, and Ethiopia has yet to achieve that accolade. ?

It is important to note that the BRICS is an informal grouping with no set criteria for membership. Any of the documentation released thus far has not clearly articulated the factors taken into account for selecting the six countries among the twenty-two that had formally requested. Some reported that the BRICS leaders decided to accept Ethiopia, and they likely considered various factors, including Ethiopia's economic size, political influence, and commitment to the BRICS' goals.

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