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Growing worries exist regarding the possibility of armed conflict involving East African neighbours, the Ethiopian government and Eritrea, as aggressive discourse has ratcheted up in the past few weeks.

What Has Ethiopian Officials Declared?

Ethiopia's, being landlocked, requests for access to the Red Sea through Eritrean territory has triggered a heated verbal exchange.

The Ethiopian leader initially stated publicly in last year that his government's maritime access was an crucial concern, comments that Eritrea rejected.

Ties between the both governments have regularly been difficult. After a long-standing battle for independence, the Eritrean state, which has a long sea border, legally broke away from Ethiopia in 1993, leaving it landlocked.

Subsequently, a territorial conflict started in which more than 100,000 people died.

Recent Remarks from Ethiopia's Government

Abiy and army chief Field Marshal Birhanu Jula have openly claimed sovereignty of Eritrean southern port of the port of Assab – some 60 km from the boundary - and hinted at the desire to seize it militarily.

Recently, the Prime Minister said the country's "error" of losing entry to the Red Sea as a because of Eritrea's separation would be "corrected soon".

Ethiopia's ambassador to Kenya, ex-military officer Bacha, said that Assab was "Ethiopia's wealth" and would be restored "using武力".

Eritrean Response to the Threats

Amid continuous threats from Ethiopia, Asmara's position has been limited to brief comments on X from Information Minister Yemane G..

The minister has dismissed Ethiopia's push for access to the Red Sea calling it "risky" and a "harmful plan" of "territorial claims" – a approach of retaking previous domains.

Government spokespeople warned on 16 September that attempts to legitimise "blatant hostility" would have serious consequences for the Ethiopian government and its regional partners and is a "limit that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Defense Activities on the Border

There have been little evidence of major military movements in the border areas between the both nations.

Nevertheless, in Ethiopia, government media has broadcast completion events of thousands of cadets at multiple army bases.

The head of human resources department of the defense force, Lt Gen Hachalu Sheleme, stated recently in an discussion that the military was in a "strong stance" as "many thousands of young people" were joining it, which he said was "a warning to our adversaries".

Previous Origins of the Conflict

For decades from the late 19th century, the territory was ruled by Italian rulers.

After the end of Italian rule, it was then controlled by the British administration before evolving into a associated territory of the Ethiopian empire.

However in 1962 the ruler terminated this system and the region became completely integrated into the Ethiopian state.

A extended internal conflict occurred, finishing with military reversal in 1991. Autonomy was then confirmed by Eritreans in a vote in 1993.

Briefly in the 1990s, there were positive ties between the governments in Addis Ababa and Asmara, but they clashed over the specific demarcation of their mutual frontier, leading to war in 1998.

Although this ended in a ceasefire agreement in 2000, it was partially applied, and the neighbors remained at loggerheads.

This situation improved in 2018, when the Prime Minister made approaches to Eritrean President the president. The both leaders signed a announcement that the war was concluded – a move that won Abiy the Nobel Peace Prize.

The neighboring states were then allies in the country's 2020-2022 armed struggle in Tigray.

Yet ties have subsequently deteriorated anew.