Ethiopian ambassador to Brazil, Leulseged Abebe, said his country’s membership of the BRICS New Development Bank is one of the priorities for the current year.

Mr Abebe said in an interview published on the website of Brazil’s BRICS Chairmanship, a partner of TV BRICS, that already, an application for the membership had been submitted.

“We are fully committed to integrating all the group’s mechanisms and arrangements. One of the most important pillars in the BRICS family is the New Development Bank. We have already received political support from all BRICS members and hope to conclude our adherence process very soon,” the ambassador emphasised.

According to him, after joining the NDB, attention will be directed to priority sectors – agriculture, energy, and industry.

Speaking about the contribution of the African Union to BRICS, Mr Abebe indicated that Ethiopia, South Africa, and Egypt were promoting the interests of the countries on the continent in the field of inclusive and sustainable development within the group.

“The African Union has common stances on various themes, including artificial intelligence —one of the priorities of the Brazilian BRICS presidency. So we can also speak with one voice to defend this agenda. Within the BRICS platform, we can promote Africa as a destination for trade, investments, and tourism,” the diplomat added.

Earlier, NDB Vice President Vladimir Kazbekov, at a meeting with Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, expressed the bank’s readiness to engage in the country’s projects in the fields of clean energy, transport, water supply, and digital infrastructure.

The New Development Bank was established in 2014 to support sustainable development initiatives in BRICS countries.

Since its creation, the bank has already financed major projects in the Global South. (TV BRICS/NAN)