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Increasing worries have emerged regarding the possibility of military engagement involving East African countries, Ethiopia and the Eritrean government, as hostile language has escalated in the last month.

What Has Ethiopia Declared?

Ethiopia's, being landlocked, requests for access to the sea coast through Eritrea has provoked a intense rhetorical conflict.

The Ethiopian leader initially stated publicly in 2023 that his government's access to the sea was an vital issue, comments that Eritrea rejected.

Relations between the two countries have often been tense. Following a decades-long battle for independence, the Eritrean state, which has a 1,350km (840-mile) sea border, formally separated from Ethiopian rule in the early 1990s, leaving it cut off from the sea.

In 1998, a military clash started in which more than 100,000 people died.

Recent Statements from Ethiopia's Officials

Abiy and military leader the army commander have directly stated control of Eritrean southern port of the port of Assab – some 60 km from the border - and hinted at the intention to capture it through military means.

In early September, Abiy said the country's "blunder" of being denied passage to the Red Sea as a due to Eritrea secession would be "rectified tomorrow".

Ethiopia's ambassador to neighboring Kenya, ex-military officer Bacha, said that the port was "Ethiopian property" and would be returned "using武力".

Eritrea's Response to the Statements

Amid persistent threats from Ethiopian officials, Eritrea's reaction has been limited to brief comments on X from Communications Head Yemane Gebremeskel.

He has rejected Ethiopia's push for sea access labeling it "hazardous" and a "harmful plan" of "territorial claims" – a approach of claiming back previous domains.

Eritrean authorities cautioned on mid-September that attempts to justify "flagrant aggression" would have significant repercussions for the Ethiopian government and its neighbors and is a "limit that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Military Preparations on the Region

Currently, there are no reports of significant troop deployments in the frontier regions between the two countries.

However, in the country, national TV has broadcast graduation ceremonies of many recruits at different defense facilities.

The leader of human resources department of the military, Lt Gen Hachalu Sheleme, stated recently in an interview that the defense forces was in a "strong stance" as "many thousands of young people" were entering service, which he said was "a warning to our adversaries".

Previous Roots of the Tension

For more than half a century from 1890, Eritrea was governed by Italian colonisers.

After World War II, it was then administered by the UK forces before evolving into a associated territory of Ethiopia.

But in 1962 the Ethiopian emperor cancelled this system and the region became fully incorporated into Ethiopia.

A thirty-year internal conflict ensued, concluding with military reversal in 1991. Independence was then endorsed by the population in a vote in 1993.

Briefly in the 1990s, there were friendly connections between the authorities in Ethiopia's capital and Asmara, but they disagreed over the precise positioning of their common border, causing conflict in 1998.

Although this ended in a ceasefire agreement in 2000, it was never fully implemented, and the both countries stayed at loggerheads.

This situation improved in 2018, when Abiy made overtures to Eritrean President the president. The both leaders signed a statement that the war was concluded – a action that won the Prime Minister the international recognition.

The both administrations were then allies in the country's 2020-2022 civil war in Tigray.

However relations have subsequently deteriorated again.