Leaders at the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, India, have endorsed Ethiopia’s candidacy for the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council, for which the African Union has named Ethiopia as the sole African candidate.
The support was formally announced in the New Delhi Declaration, adopted under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability.” In the declaration, Member States reaffirmed their commitment to amplifying the voice of the Global South and reforming multilateral institutions.
Specifically, alliance leaders welcomed Ethiopia’s candidacy for one of the expanded ICAO Council seats, confirming their backing for the position reserved for under-represented regions.
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“As the home of Ethiopian Airlines, securing a seat on the council allows Addis Ababa to transition from following global aviation standards to actively shaping international airspace regulations, safety protocols, and sustainability targets,” the declaration noted.
In addition to aviation, leaders from member countries declared their backing for the ongoing World Trade Organization (WTO) accession processes of both Ethiopia and Iran, aiming to help developing nations integrate into an open, fair, and rules-based trading system.
Echoing the aspirations of the Global South to fully integrate into the trading system, the New Delhi Declaration explicitly affirmed strong support for Ethiopia and Iran’s accession to the WTO.
This endorsement follows recent diplomatic milestones, including a bilateral accession protocol signed between Ethiopia and India in Geneva. Joining the WTO will grant Ethiopian exports predictable, low-tariff market access, reduce trade barriers, and integrate local businesses into global supply chains.
