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Mounting worries have emerged about the chance of military engagement among East African neighbors, Ethiopia and the Eritrean government, as aggressive language has intensified in the last month.

What Has Ethiopia Said?

Ethiopia's, being landlocked, calls for access to the maritime outlet through Eritrea has triggered a intense war of words.

Ethiopian Prime Minister initially stated publicly in 2023 that his government's maritime access was an existential matter, remarks that Eritrea rejected.

Ties between the two countries have often been tense. After a prolonged fight for sovereignty, the Eritrean state, which has a 1,350km (840-mile) sea border, formally separated from Ethiopian rule in 1993, making it without sea access.

In 1998, a territorial conflict started in which over a hundred thousand people lost their lives.

Latest Statements from Ethiopian Government

Abiy and army chief General Birhanu Jula have openly claimed control of Eritrea's southern port of Assab – approximately 60 kilometers from the boundary - and implied the intention to seize it militarily.

In early September, Abiy said the country's "blunder" of losing entry to the sea as a result of Eritrea secession would be "rectified tomorrow".

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

Eritrean Reaction to the Claims

Amid continuous threats from Ethiopia, Asmara's position has been confined to short statements on online platforms from Information Minister the minister.

He has rejected Ethiopian requests for maritime entry labeling it "dangerous" and a "negative policy" of "territorial claims" – a approach of retaking previous domains.

The information ministry alerted on mid-September that moves to validate "obvious provocation" would have significant repercussions for the Ethiopian government and its neighbors and is a "boundary that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Defense Movements on the Border

So far, there are no reports of large-scale army activities in the border areas between the neighboring states.

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

The head of staff section of the armed forces, General Hachalu, recently said in an conversation that the army was in a "reliable position" as "many thousands of young people" were enlisting, which he said was "a warning to our enemies".

Previous Background of the Dispute

For decades from 1890, Eritrea was governed by Italian rulers.

After the end of Italian rule, it was then managed by the British military before evolving into a federated part of Ethiopia.

However in 1962 the Ethiopian emperor cancelled this agreement and the region became fully incorporated into Ethiopia.

A extended armed struggle occurred, concluding with the government's loss in 1991. Autonomy was then confirmed by voters in a plebiscite in 1993.

For a few years in the 1990s, there were friendly connections between the authorities in Addis Ababa and Asmara, but they fell out over the specific demarcation of their shared boundary, causing war in 1998.

Although this concluded in a ceasefire agreement in 2000, it was incompletely executed, and the neighbors stayed at loggerheads.

This changed in 2018, when the Prime Minister made approaches to Eritrea's leader the president. The both leaders agreed to a announcement that the war was finished – a action that won Abiy the international recognition.

The both administrations were then cooperators in Ethiopia's previous armed struggle in Tigray.

But diplomatic connections have subsequently deteriorated anew.