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Increasing concerns have emerged regarding the chance of warfare involving East African countries, the Ethiopian government and Eritrea, as aggressive language has ratcheted up in the last month.

What Has Ethiopia Declared?

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

Ethiopian Prime Minister first openly declared in 2023 that his nation's sea access was an vital issue, remarks that Eritrean authorities rejected.

Diplomatic connections between the both governments have frequently been strained. After a long-standing struggle for freedom, the Eritrean state, which has a long maritime frontage, officially seceded from Ethiopian rule in 1993, making it landlocked.

Subsequently, a military clash erupted in which numerous people died.

Latest Comments from Ethiopia's Leadership

Prime Minister Abiy and military leader the army commander have publicly asserted sovereignty of Eritrean coastal city of the port of Assab – about 60km from the border - and hinted at the wish to seize it militarily.

In early September, Abiy said the country's "mistake" of being denied passage to the sea as a due to Eritrea's separation would be "addressed soon".

Ethiopia's ambassador to neighboring Kenya, retired Gen Bacha Debele, said that the port was "Ethiopia's wealth" and would be returned "using武力".

Eritrean Reaction to the Statements

In the face of ongoing threats from Ethiopia, Eritrea's response has been limited to concise remarks on social media from Communications Head Yemane Gebremeskel.

The minister has dismissed Ethiopia's demand for access to the Red Sea describing it as "dangerous" and a "harmful plan" of "irredentism" – a strategy of retaking former lands.

The information ministry cautioned on recently that attempts to legitimise "obvious provocation" would have major implications for Ethiopia and its neighbors and is a "limit that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Military Movements on the Ground

So far, there are little evidence of major military movements in the border areas between the neighboring states.

Nevertheless, in the country, government media has displayed training completions of thousands of cadets at different defense facilities.

The leader of personnel division of the defense force, the officer, stated recently in an interview that the defense forces was in a "secure situation" as "many thousands of recruits" were enlisting, which he said was "a signal to our enemies".

Previous Roots of the Dispute

For decades from the late 19th century, Eritrea was administered by colonial powers.

After Italy's defeat, it was then managed by the British administration before evolving into a federated part of Ethiopia.

However in 1962 the Ethiopian emperor terminated this arrangement and the region became totally absorbed into Ethiopia.

A extended armed struggle followed, concluding with the government's loss in the early 1990s. Sovereignty was then confirmed by voters in a vote in 1993.

For a few years in the 1990s, there were positive ties between the leadership in Addis Ababa and Asmara, but they disagreed over the precise positioning of their mutual frontier, resulting in war in 1998.

Although this ended in a truce in 2000, it was never fully implemented, and the two nations remained at loggerheads.

This changed in 2018, when Abiy made gestures to Eritrea's leader Isaias Afwerki. The two signed a announcement that the hostilities was over – a decision that gained Abiy the international recognition.

The two governments were then partners in Ethiopia's 2020-2022 internal conflict in the northern region.

However relations have later worsened anew.