Ethiopia’s Interest in Red Sea Port Inflamed by AI-Generated Propaganda

Ethiopia inaugurated the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on September 9, 2025, marking the completion of a megaproject that took 14 years and cost $5 billion. As Ethiopians celebrated this milestone, an unexpected phenomenon emerged across social media platforms: the proliferation of AI-generated videos and images promoting Ethiopia’s next ambition – acquiring access to the Red Sea through the port of Assab in Eritrea.

One widely circulated AI-generated video, shared by former State Minister Birhanu M Lenjiso, features a fictional mega-concert at the GERD site with an AI voiceover declaring: “How joyful it is to be Ethiopian! How joyful it is to live in the era of the Renaissance! How honorable it is to be a maker of Red Sea history!” The video concludes with the messages “GERD 2.0 Coming Soon!” and “See you all in Assab!”

These synthetic media campaigns come amid escalating tensions in the Horn of Africa regarding Ethiopia’s stated desire for sea access. In 2023, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed declared that access to the sea was “a matter of survival,” stating that 150 million Ethiopians cannot live in a “geographic prison.” This statement alarmed neighboring countries, particularly Eritrea, which currently controls the port of Assab.

While Ethiopia has publicly committed to pursuing diplomatic solutions, its rhetoric has grown increasingly assertive. Military leaders have repeatedly stated their readiness to act if directed, and Prime Minister Ahmed reportedly told business leaders, “We want to get a port by peaceful means. But if that fails we will use force.”

The visual elements of these AI-generated materials follow consistent patterns. They typically feature Ethiopia’s green, yellow, and red flag alongside ultra-modern port facilities and Ethiopian naval vessels. Text overlays commonly include phrases like “no more landlocked” and “from GERD to Assab,” directly linking the successful dam project to the port ambition.

The audio components are equally strategic, with AI-generated patriotic songs containing lyrics such as “Assab, my bride, the gateway and passage of my being. Do not despair, my country — the hour has come; your landlockedness will soon be over!”

This trend represents the emergence of what some observers call “synthetic propaganda” or “slopaganda” — politically motivated content created using generative AI tools and distributed across social media platforms. Similar techniques have gained popularity in the US and Europe among populist movements, but in Ethiopia, they appear to be supporting government-aligned geopolitical objectives.

The proliferation of these materials taps into deeply held nationalist sentiments around Ethiopia’s landlocked status. The loss of coastal access represents one of the few issues that unites an otherwise politically fragmented country, creating a powerful emotional appeal that transcends partisan divides.

Security analysts warn this AI-driven propaganda campaign could further destabilize an already volatile region. The Horn of Africa has experienced multiple conflicts in recent years, and rhetoric that normalizes territorial ambitions, even when presented through synthetic media, raises concerns about potential military confrontation.

The GERD celebration provided an ideal launching point for this messaging, allowing proponents to capitalize on national pride and redirect it toward the port objective. By blending authentic celebration with AI-generated content, the campaign blurs the line between current achievement and future ambition, potentially building public support for more aggressive policies.

This case highlights how AI tools have dramatically lowered the barriers to producing sophisticated propaganda, enabling rapid creation and distribution of emotionally resonant visual content at minimal cost. As one media analyst noted, in this new environment, “the classic division between truth and falsity no longer matters” as synthetic media becomes increasingly normalized in political discourse.