Brics impasse at UN: Egypt and Ethiopia reject joint statement over Security Council bid

A meeting of Brics foreign ministers in New York on Thursday ended without a joint statement for the first time since the group’s founding, reflecting difficulties reaching a consensus with the addition of new members last year.

The meeting convened on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly and was expected to produce a 52-paragraph text on several issues, including the Middle East conflict, plans for a common currency and preliminary talks on the accession of more Brics countries to the summit slated for October in Kazan, Russia.

One condition set by Indian and Brazilian diplomats for the bloc’s expansion last year was that the new members support the aspirations of India, Brazil and South Africa for permanent seats on the UN Security Council, the Brazilian website added.

However, at Thursday’s meeting, Egypt and Ethiopia refused to sign the communique mentioning the issue on the grounds no consensus had been reached as to which country should be Africa’s representative on the UN’s highest body.