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Growing apprehensions are present regarding the chance of warfare among East African countries, the Ethiopian government and the Eritrean government, as hostile language has ratcheted up in the last month.

What Has Ethiopia Declared?

Landlocked Ethiopia's requests for entry to the Red Sea through Eritrea has provoked a fierce rhetorical conflict.

The Ethiopian leader first openly declared in 2023 that his country's maritime access was an existential matter, comments that Eritrea dismissed.

Ties between the neighboring nations have frequently been strained. After a prolonged fight for sovereignty, the Eritrean state, which has a long maritime frontage, legally broke away from Ethiopia in 1993, rendering it landlocked.

Subsequently, a military clash broke out in which over a hundred thousand people lost their lives.

Latest Remarks from Ethiopian Leadership

Prime Minister Abiy and army chief the army commander have publicly asserted ownership of Eritrea's maritime facility of the port of Assab – some 60 km from the frontier - and hinted at the desire to take it by force.

On 1 September, Abiy said Ethiopia's "error" of losing entry to the Red Sea as a because of Eritrea's separation would be "addressed soon".

Ethiopia's ambassador to Kenya, retired Gen Bacha Debele, said that the port was "Ethiopia's wealth" and would be given back "through military action".

Eritrean Reaction to the Claims

In the face of ongoing threats from Ethiopian officials, Asmara's position has been limited to concise remarks on X from Communications Head Yemane Gebremeskel.

Officials have denied Ethiopian requests for access to the Red Sea calling it "risky" and a "negative policy" of "irredentism" – a approach of reclaiming former lands.

Eritrean authorities cautioned on mid-September that efforts to validate "flagrant aggression" would have serious consequences for the Ethiopian government and its neighbouring countries and is a "boundary that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Security Activities on the Ground

So far, there are little evidence of large-scale army activities in the border areas between the neighboring states.

Nevertheless, in the country, government media has broadcast graduation ceremonies of many recruits at multiple army bases.

The head of human resources department of the defense force, Lt Gen Hachalu Sheleme, recently said in an conversation that the military was in a "secure situation" as "numerous of young people" were joining it, which he said was "a message to our opponents".

Historical Roots of the Dispute

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

After World War II, it was then controlled by the British military before becoming a federated part of the Ethiopian empire.

Yet in 1962 the Ethiopian emperor ended this agreement and Eritrea became completely integrated into Ethiopia.

A extended armed struggle occurred, ending with military reversal in 1991. Sovereignty was then endorsed by the population in a referendum in 1993.

Temporarily in the 1990s, there were positive ties between the governments in Ethiopia's capital and Eritrea's capital, but they disagreed over the exact location of their mutual frontier, leading to conflict in 1998.

Even though this ended in a peace deal in 2000, it was never fully implemented, and the both countries remained at odds.

This ended in 2018, when Abiy made approaches to Eritrean President President Isaias. The two endorsed a announcement that the conflict was concluded – a action that gained Abiy the international recognition.

The both administrations were then cooperators in the country's previous civil war in the northern region.

Yet diplomatic connections have later worsened again.