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Increasing worries are present over the chance of military engagement involving East African countries, the Ethiopian government and Eritrea, as aggressive discourse has intensified in the last month.

What Did Ethiopian Officials Stated?

Landlocked Ethiopia's requests for access to the Red Sea through Eritrean territory has triggered a fierce war of words.

The Ethiopian leader previously announced in 2023 that his government's access to the sea was an vital issue, remarks that Eritrean authorities dismissed.

Relations between the both governments have often been tense. After a decades-long fight for sovereignty, the Eritrean state, which has a extensive Red Sea coastline, legally broke away from Ethiopian rule in the early 1990s, rendering it landlocked.

In 1998, a military clash started in which over a hundred thousand people were killed.

Recent Statements from Ethiopian Government

Prime Minister Abiy and military leader the army commander have directly stated sovereignty of Eritrean coastal city of Assab – about 60km from the border - and hinted at the intention to take it by force.

On 1 September, Abiy said Ethiopia's "mistake" of losing entry to the Red Sea as a result of Eritrea's separation would be "addressed in the future".

The Ethiopian envoy to Kenya, former General Bacha Debele, said that the port was "belonging to Ethiopia" and would be returned "by force".

Eritrea's Reaction to the Threats

In the face of ongoing challenges from Ethiopia, Eritrea's response has been restricted to short statements on social media from Communications Head the minister.

The minister has dismissed Ethiopia's demand for sea access calling it "hazardous" and a "toxic agenda" of "territorial claims" – a policy of claiming back lost territory.

Government spokespeople warned on 16 September that attempts to validate "blatant hostility" would have significant repercussions for Ethiopia and its neighbouring countries and is a "limit that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Security Activities on the Border

Currently, there are little evidence of major military movements in the boundary zones between the neighboring states.

Nonetheless, in the country, national TV has displayed graduation ceremonies of many recruits at various military training camps.

The leader of personnel division of the military, the officer, recently said in an interview that the defense forces was in a "secure situation" as "numerous of youths" were joining it, which he said was "a message to our adversaries".

Past Background of the Conflict

For over fifty years from the late 19th century, Eritrea was administered by Italian colonisers.

Following the end of Italian rule, it was then controlled by the UK forces before evolving into a integrated region of Ethiopia.

But in the early 1960s the Ethiopian emperor cancelled this arrangement and the region became totally absorbed into the Ethiopian state.

A thirty-year internal conflict occurred, finishing with the government's loss in 1991. Autonomy was then confirmed by voters in a referendum in 1993.

Temporarily in the 1990s, there were good relations between the governments in Addis Ababa and Asmara, but they fell out over the specific demarcation of their shared boundary, leading to hostilities in 1998.

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

This changed in 2018, when the Prime Minister made gestures to Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki. The two endorsed a statement that the war was concluded – a action that won Abiy the Nobel Peace Prize.

The two governments were then partners in Ethiopia's previous armed struggle in Tigray.

But diplomatic connections have subsequently deteriorated anew.