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Growing concerns exist about the potential of armed conflict between East African neighbours, the Ethiopian government and the Eritrean government, as hostile discourse has intensified in the past few weeks.

What Did Ethiopian Officials Declared?

Landlocked Ethiopia's calls for entry to the maritime outlet through Eritrean territory has triggered a heated rhetorical conflict.

Ethiopian Prime Minister first openly declared in last year that his country's access to the sea was an existential matter, remarks that Eritrean authorities rejected.

Relations between the both governments have often been tense. Following a decades-long battle for independence, the Eritrean state, which has a 1,350km (840-mile) maritime frontage, legally broke away from Ethiopia in the early 1990s, leaving it cut off from the sea.

Five years later, a military clash erupted in which more than 100,000 people lost their lives.

Recent Comments from Ethiopia's Leadership

Prime Minister Abiy and military leader General Birhanu Jula have directly stated ownership of Eritrean coastal city of Assab – about 60km from the border - and suggested the intention to take it by force.

Recently, Abiy said Ethiopia's "mistake" of losing access to the sea as a result of Eritrea secession would be "addressed soon".

Ethiopia's ambassador to neighboring Kenya, former General Bacha Debele, said that Assab was "Ethiopia's wealth" and would be returned "by force".

Eritrea's Response to the Claims

In the face of ongoing challenges from Ethiopia, Asmara's position has been confined to concise remarks on X from Communications Head Yemane Gebremeskel.

The minister has dismissed Ethiopia's demand for sea access labeling it "dangerous" and a "toxic agenda" of "irredentism" – a approach of claiming back lost territory.

The information ministry warned on recently that moves to legitimise "blatant hostility" would have significant repercussions for the Ethiopian government and its neighbouring countries and is a "limit that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Military Movements on the Border

So far, there are no reports of large-scale army activities in the boundary zones between the both nations.

Nevertheless, in the country, government media has shown training completions of thousands of cadets at different defense facilities.

The leader of personnel division of the military, General Hachalu, stated recently in an interview that the army was in a "reliable position" as "numerous of recruits" were entering service, which he said was "a message to our adversaries".

Past Background of the Dispute

For decades from 1890, Eritrea was ruled by colonial powers.

Following the end of Italian rule, it was then administered by the British administration before becoming a integrated region of the Ethiopian empire.

But in the early 1960s the Ethiopian emperor terminated this system and Eritrea became totally absorbed into the Ethiopian state.

A thirty-year civil war ensued, ending with the government's loss in the early 1990s. Autonomy was then approved by voters in a vote in 1993.

Briefly in the 1990s, there were friendly connections between the leadership in Addis Ababa and Asmara, but they disagreed over the precise positioning of their mutual frontier, leading to war in 1998.

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

This situation improved in 2018, when Abiy made overtures to Eritrea's leader President Isaias. The both leaders endorsed a announcement that the war was concluded – a decision that won the Prime Minister the international recognition.

The two governments were then allies in Ethiopia's recent armed struggle in the northern region.

However relations have later worsened anew.