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Increasing apprehensions are present about the potential of armed conflict among East African countries, Ethiopia and Eritrea, as aggressive discourse has escalated in the past few weeks.

What Did Ethiopian Officials Said?

Landlocked Ethiopia's requests for entry to the maritime outlet through Eritrea has provoked a intense rhetorical conflict.

Ethiopian Prime Minister initially stated publicly in 2023 that his nation's sea access was an vital issue, remarks that Eritrean authorities rejected.

Relations between the both governments have regularly been difficult. After a decades-long fight for sovereignty, Eritrea, which has a extensive sea border, formally separated from Ethiopian rule in the early 1990s, rendering it landlocked.

Subsequently, a border war erupted in which more than 100,000 people died.

Recent Statements from Ethiopian Government

Abiy and army chief General Birhanu Jula have publicly asserted ownership of Eritrean southern port of Assab – approximately 60 kilometers from the frontier - and implied the intention to take it by force.

On 1 September, the Prime Minister said the country's "mistake" of being denied passage to the sea as a because of Eritrea's separation would be "addressed tomorrow".

The Ethiopian envoy to neighboring Kenya, ex-military officer Bacha, said that Assab was "belonging to Ethiopia" and would be given back "through military action".

Eritrea's Reaction to the Statements

In the face of ongoing threats from Ethiopia, Eritrea's response has been limited to short statements on social media from Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel.

The minister has dismissed Ethiopia's push for access to the Red Sea calling it "hazardous" and a "harmful plan" of "irredentism" – a approach of retaking former lands.

Government spokespeople alerted on recently that attempts to validate "flagrant aggression" would have significant repercussions for the Ethiopian government and its neighbors and is a "limit that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Security Activities on the Border

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

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

The leader of human resources department of the defense force, General Hachalu, recently said in an interview that the army was in a "secure situation" as "tens of thousands of youths" were enlisting, which he said was "a message to our opponents".

Historical Origins of the Conflict

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

Following World War II, it was then administered by the British administration before evolving into a integrated region of the Ethiopian empire.

But in 1962 the ruler ended this arrangement and the region became totally absorbed into Ethiopia.

A three-decade long armed struggle ensued, ending with military reversal in 1991. Autonomy was then endorsed by Eritreans in a plebiscite in 1993.

Briefly in the 1990s, there were positive ties between the governments in Addis Ababa and Asmara, but they fell out over the specific demarcation of their common border, leading to hostilities in 1998.

Even though this ended in a ceasefire agreement in 2000, it was partially applied, and the both countries remained at in dispute.

This situation improved in 2018, when the Prime Minister made gestures to Eritrean President President Isaias. The both leaders endorsed a declaration that the hostilities was over – a decision that earned Abiy the Nobel Peace Prize.

The neighboring states were then allies in the country's recent armed struggle in the northern region.

Yet relations have later worsened once more.