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Mounting apprehensions exist over the chance of armed conflict involving East African countries, the Ethiopian government and Eritrea, as hostile language has intensified in the last month.

What Has Ethiopia Declared?

Landlocked Ethiopia's calls for passage to the sea coast through Eritrea has provoked a heated war of words.

Ethiopian Prime Minister first openly declared in last year that his nation's sea access was an existential matter, statements that Eritrea dismissed.

Ties between the both governments have often been tense. Following a long-standing fight for sovereignty, Eritrea, which has a extensive maritime frontage, legally broke away from Ethiopian rule in the early 1990s, rendering it cut off from the sea.

Five years later, a territorial conflict started in which over a hundred thousand people lost their lives.

Latest Remarks from Ethiopian Officials

Abiy and military leader the army commander have openly claimed ownership of Eritrean southern port of the port of Assab – some 60 km from the boundary - and suggested the wish to take it by force.

Recently, the Prime Minister said the country's "blunder" of losing entry to the Red Sea as a because of Eritrea secession would be "rectified tomorrow".

The Ethiopian envoy to Kenya, retired Gen Bacha Debele, said that the port was "Ethiopian property" and would be given back "by force".

Eritrean Reaction to the Threats

Despite continuous challenges from Ethiopian officials, Asmara's position has been limited to concise remarks on X from Communications Head the minister.

Officials have denied Ethiopia's push for maritime entry calling it "risky" and a "toxic agenda" of "territorial claims" – a policy of retaking former lands.

The information ministry warned on 16 September that efforts to validate "obvious provocation" would have major implications for Ethiopia and its neighbouring countries and is a "limit that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Security Preparations on the Border

There have been little evidence of large-scale army activities in the frontier regions between the both nations.

Nevertheless, in Ethiopia, state television has broadcast completion events of thousands of cadets at various military training camps.

The head of human resources department of the military, Lt Gen Hachalu Sheleme, recently said in an interview that the military was in a "reliable position" as "many thousands of recruits" were joining it, which he said was "a warning to our opponents".

Past Origins of the Dispute

For more than half a century from the late 19th century, Eritrea was governed by Italian colonisers.

After Italy's defeat, it was then controlled by the British administration before becoming a federated part of the Ethiopian empire.

But in the early 1960s Emperor Haile Selassie I ended this agreement and Eritrea became totally absorbed into Ethiopia.

A extended internal conflict followed, concluding with the government's loss in the early 1990s. Autonomy was then endorsed by Eritreans in a vote in 1993.

Temporarily in the 1990s, there were friendly connections between the governments in Ethiopia's capital and Asmara, but they disagreed over the exact location of their shared boundary, resulting in hostilities in 1998.

Even though this finished in a truce in 2000, it was never fully implemented, and the both countries stayed at in dispute.

This ended in 2018, when the Prime Minister made overtures to Eritrea's leader the president. The two signed a announcement that the hostilities was finished – a move that won Abiy the prestigious award.

The neighboring states were then partners in Ethiopia's 2020-2022 civil war in Tigray.

However relations have later worsened once more.