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Increasing concerns have emerged about the chance of military engagement between East African neighbors, the Ethiopian government and Eritrea, as aggressive rhetoric has escalated in the past few weeks.

What Has Ethiopia Declared?

Landlocked Ethiopia's demands for entry to the maritime outlet through Eritrea has triggered a intense war of words.

Ethiopian Prime Minister previously announced in 2023 that his country's access to the sea was an existential matter, statements that Eritrea dismissed.

Ties between the both governments have frequently been strained. After a decades-long fight for sovereignty, Eritrea, which has a extensive maritime frontage, formally separated from Ethiopia in 1993, making it cut off from the sea.

Subsequently, a border war broke out in which more than 100,000 people were killed.

Recent Remarks from Ethiopian Officials

Abiy and military leader the army commander have publicly asserted sovereignty of Eritrean maritime facility of the port of Assab – some 60 km from the boundary - and suggested the wish to capture it through military means.

On 1 September, Abiy said Ethiopia's "blunder" of losing entry to the Red Sea as a result of Eritrean independence would be "addressed soon".

Ethiopia's ambassador to neighboring Kenya, ex-military officer Bacha, said that Assab was "Ethiopia's wealth" and would be returned "by force".

Eritrean Reaction to the Claims

Despite persistent warnings from Ethiopia, Eritrea's reaction has been confined to brief comments on social media from Communications Head the minister.

He has rejected Ethiopian requests for maritime entry labeling it "hazardous" and a "negative policy" of "territorial claims" – a strategy of retaking lost territory.

Government spokespeople alerted on 16 September that efforts to legitimise "obvious provocation" would have major implications for Ethiopia and its neighbouring countries and is a "redline that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Security Activities on the Region

Currently, there are few indications of significant troop deployments in the border areas between the both nations.

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

The leader of personnel division of the military, General Hachalu, commented lately in an discussion that the defense forces was in a "secure situation" as "many thousands of recruits" were entering service, which he said was "a signal to our adversaries".

Past Origins of the Conflict

For over fifty years from 1890, the territory was ruled by Italian colonisers.

Following Italy's defeat, it was then managed by the UK forces before becoming a associated territory of Ethiopia.

Yet in 1962 Emperor Haile Selassie I terminated this system and the region became fully incorporated into Ethiopia.

A extended armed struggle occurred, concluding with Ethiopia's defeat in the early 1990s. Sovereignty was then approved by Eritreans in a plebiscite in 1993.

Briefly in the 1990s, there were good relations between the authorities in Ethiopia's capital and Eritrea's capital, but they disagreed over the exact location of their shared boundary, causing hostilities in 1998.

Even though this ended in a ceasefire agreement in 2000, it was partially applied, and the two nations stayed at in dispute.

This changed in 2018, when Abiy made gestures to Eritrea's leader Isaias Afwerki. The two endorsed a declaration that the war was over – a decision that won the Prime Minister the international recognition.

The both administrations were then partners in Ethiopia's previous armed struggle in the northern region.

But relations have later worsened again.