By Asha Elmi - Reporter
New Delhi, India, Sept. 14, 2026 The BRICS bloc has reaffirmed its support for Ethiopia’s bid to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) and its bid for the presidency of the United Nations climate change conference COP32, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister’s Office said on Monday.
The support was included in the New Delhi Declaration adopted at the 18th BRICS Summit, held in New Delhi, India, on Sept. 12–13, 2026.
BRICS, which currently comprises 11 member countries — Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates — also backed Ethiopia’s candidacy for an additional seat on the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The New Delhi Declaration said BRICS strongly supports the WTO accession bids of Ethiopia and Iran, as the bloc seeks to strengthen the participation of developing countries in the multilateral trading system.
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The declaration also welcomed Ethiopia’s ICAO candidacy, noting that the African Union has endorsed Ethiopia as the continent’s sole candidate for the additional council seat allocated to underrepresented regions.
On climate diplomacy, BRICS expressed support for Ethiopia’s presidency of COP32, which is scheduled to take place in Addis Ababa in 2027.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed also held bilateral meetings with leaders on the sidelines of the summit, with discussions covering trade and investment, defence cooperation and digitalisation, according to his office.
The summit concluded on Sept. 13 with the adoption of a 140-point New Delhi Declaration under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”