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Mounting apprehensions exist about the chance of warfare among East African countries, Ethiopia and the Eritrean government, as aggressive language has escalated in the last month.

What Has Ethiopia Said?

Ethiopia's, being landlocked, requests for access to the maritime outlet through Eritrean territory has sparked a intense war of words.

PM Abiy Ahmed first openly declared in last year that his government's sea access was an existential matter, comments that Eritrea rejected.

Ties between the two countries have regularly been difficult. Following a decades-long fight for sovereignty, Eritrea, which has a long Red Sea coastline, formally separated from Ethiopia in 1993, making it cut off from the sea.

Subsequently, a military clash erupted in which numerous people lost their lives.

Recent Remarks from Ethiopia's Leadership

Prime Minister Abiy and military leader the army commander have openly claimed sovereignty of Eritrea's southern port of the port of Assab – about 60km from the boundary - and implied the desire to take it by force.

On 1 September, the Prime Minister said the country's "error" of being denied passage to the Red Sea as a due to Eritrea's separation would be "addressed tomorrow".

The Ethiopian envoy to neighboring Kenya, former General Bacha Debele, said that Assab was "Ethiopia's wealth" and would be given back "by force".

Eritrea's Response to the Threats

In the face of persistent challenges from Ethiopian officials, Eritrea's reaction has been limited to brief comments on X from Communications Head the minister.

The minister has dismissed Ethiopia's demand for maritime entry calling it "dangerous" and a "toxic agenda" of "irredentism" – a policy of claiming back lost territory.

Eritrean authorities cautioned on 16 September that moves to justify "obvious provocation" would have major implications for Ethiopia and its neighbors and is a "limit that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Defense Preparations on the Border

There have been few indications of large-scale army activities in the boundary zones between the both nations.

Nevertheless, in the country, national TV has displayed graduation ceremonies of thousands of cadets at various military training camps.

The director of personnel division of the armed forces, General Hachalu, stated recently in an discussion that the army was in a "secure situation" as "many thousands of recruits" were enlisting, which he said was "a warning to our enemies".

Past Background of the Tension

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

Following the end of Italian rule, it was then controlled by the UK forces before becoming a associated territory of Ethiopia.

But in 1962 the ruler cancelled this system and Eritrea became fully incorporated into the Ethiopian state.

A thirty-year armed struggle ensued, finishing with military reversal in 1991. Autonomy was then confirmed by voters in a referendum in 1993.

Briefly in the 1990s, there were positive ties between the governments in Addis Ababa and Eritrea's capital, but they clashed over the specific demarcation of their shared boundary, leading to hostilities in 1998.

Although this ended in a truce in 2000, it was partially applied, and the two nations continued at odds.

This ended in 2018, when Abiy made overtures to Eritrean President President Isaias. The both leaders agreed to a announcement that the conflict was concluded – a move that earned Abiy the prestigious award.

The two governments were then allies in Ethiopia's recent civil war in Tigray.

However relations have later worsened anew.