Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed meets Putin at BRICS Summit, pushes for stronger trade ties

Ethiopian Prime minister Abiy Ahmed who is attending his first BRIC summit on behalf of a member nation met Russian president Vladimir Putin for a bilateral meeting on Wednesday (Oct. 23).

The Russian leader called Ethiopia's integration into the group an 'important step', hailing the nations’ proximity. Their diplomatic ties date back more than a century.

"Our countries' positions on most global and regional issues are often quite close. We appreciate that Ethiopia supports most Russian initiatives in the United Nations," Putin said.

In his remarks at the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan, Abiy Ahmed called for strong Intra -BRICS trade in key sectors and investment.

He presenetd his country as the third largest economy in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Ethiopia formally joined the group of emerging economies earlier this year. It is one of the newest members of the block.

BRICS countries have show determination to achieve their vision of a multipolar world, amplifying the voices of the Global South. Some members have even touted the bloc as a counterbalance to the Western-dominated world order.