Trending Tensions: Social Media and Influencer Engagement in the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam Dispute

Abstract

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is a highly contentious issue in African and Middle Eastern geopolitics. This issue has led to extensive international and domestic discourse and negotiations. Social media can be regarded as a central stage for state and non-state actors to express themselves regarding the GERD issue and engage in informal forms of digital geopolitics. This study aims to examine the role of social media in shaping the GERD issue, with a specific emphasis on the Egyptian and Ethiopian perspectives, which are the most vocal and impactful contributors to this issue. This study employed a qualitative research approach and collected
data through interviews with 18 key informants, including diplomats, geopolitical experts, social media influencers, state officials, international journalists, and domestic advocates. The study used thematic analysis to extract meaning from key informants’ interview data. The study found that social media has greatly altered the way the GERD issue is framed, emphasizing nationalism, counter-hegemonic narratives, misinformation, and emotional framing. This study contributes to the existing literature on digital geopolitics by examining the role and impact of social media on conflict and conflict management. This study concludes that a deep
Understanding of the role and impact of social media can help resolve international and domestic conflicts, with a specific emphasis on the Nile River Basin.