Fact checks / Image verification
AI-generated
Image claiming Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed bowed to UAE President is digitally altered
A viral image showing Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed prostrating before UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan is AI-generated and digitally altered.
AI-generated
The image is AI-generated and digitally altered. Al Riyadh never published this front page.
The claim
Claim being checked
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was photographed prostrating and kissing the hand of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Fasil Yenealem, Facebook, 1 September 2026 / View the original post
A viral social media post shared on September 1, 2026, by Ethiopian journalist and activist Fasil Yenealem to over 271,000 followers claims that Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was photographed prostrating and kissing the hand of United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The post featured a front-page graphic formatted to resemble the Saudi Arabian newspaper Al Riyadh, accompanied by commentary framing the image as an authentic depiction of a diplomatic humiliation.
However, an investigation by 251Check confirms that the image is entirely fabricated and digitally altered.
The evidence
Explain the veriIn reality, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed last met face-to-face with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during an official working visit to Abu Dhabi on March 13–14, 2026. Official reports from the UAE Presidential Office and Fana Media Corporation confirm their high-level discussions centered on deepening economic, financial, and strategic bilateral relations, expanding joint ventures in trade and renewable energy, and discussing peacebuilding initiatives in the Horn of Africa alongside cooperation within the enlarged BRICS framework.fication step, what was found and how it affects the claim.
→ link working visit to https://www.mohamedbinzayed.ae/en/latest-news-listing/2026/03/UAE-President-and-Ethiopian-Prime-Minister-discuss-cooperation-and-regional-developments
Comprehensive media coverage and official records of the bilateral talks emphasize mutual strategic support and diplomatic protocol. At no point during the visit did any verified media outlet or official delegation report breaches of protocol or acts of prostration.
The mock newspaper front page was digitally created and circulated online to spread false narratives regarding Ethiopia’s foreign relations. While the graphic uses the masthead of the Saudi daily Al Riyadh alongside headlines concerning regional partnerships and official diplomatic visits, official archives confirm that Al Riyadh never published this layout or photograph.
Furthermore, a detailed visual inspection reveals clear technical anomalies typical of AI image generation tools, including a visual glitch and a missing finger on Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed’s left hand.
A further check with an AI detection tool rated the image 99.9% likely to be AI-generated.
Why it matters
Fabricated images of national leaders can distort how people understand their country’s foreign relations and inflame public opinion around real diplomatic events. Fake newspaper front pages are especially misleading, because borrowing a real outlet’s name makes an invented story look independently reported. Before sharing an image like this, check whether the outlet actually published it.
Conclusion
The viral post claiming to show Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed bowing to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan relies on an AI-generated, digitally altered image and is false.
Sources
- Fasil Yenealem, Facebook post, 1 September 2026
- UAE Presidential Office, “UAE President and Ethiopian Prime Minister discuss cooperation and regional
- Ethiopian News Agency (ENA), report on the bilateral talks, March 2026
- Fana Media Corporation report
- AI detection tool used, with link
Corrections
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