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Mounting apprehensions exist about the chance of warfare among East African neighbours, Ethiopia and the Eritrean government, as hostile rhetoric has intensified in recent weeks.

What Has Ethiopian Officials Said?

Ethiopia's, being landlocked, demands for access to the sea coast through Eritrea has triggered a fierce war of words.

The Ethiopian leader initially stated publicly in 2023 that his country's maritime access was an existential matter, statements that Eritrea dismissed.

Diplomatic connections between the both governments have often been tense. After a long-standing fight for sovereignty, Eritrea, which has a extensive maritime frontage, legally broke away from Ethiopia in 1993, rendering it without sea access.

Subsequently, a border war broke out in which over a hundred thousand people were killed.

Current Comments from Ethiopia's Leadership

Prime Minister Abiy and military leader the army commander have openly claimed ownership of Eritrea's maritime facility of Assab – about 60km from the frontier - and suggested the desire to capture it through military means.

In early September, the Prime Minister said the country's "mistake" of losing entry to the Red Sea as a because of Eritrea secession would be "corrected tomorrow".

Ethiopia's ambassador to neighboring Kenya, former General Bacha Debele, said that the port was "Ethiopia's wealth" and would be restored "through military action".

Eritrea's Answer to the Statements

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

He has rejected Ethiopia's push for maritime entry labeling it "dangerous" and a "toxic agenda" of "expansionism" – a strategy of retaking previous domains.

Government spokespeople alerted on recently that attempts to justify "obvious provocation" would have serious consequences for Ethiopia and its neighbors and is a "boundary that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Military Activities on the Ground

There have been few indications of significant troop deployments in the border areas between the both nations.

However, in the country, state television has displayed graduation ceremonies of thousands of cadets at multiple army bases.

The director of staff section of the military, the officer, recently said in an interview that the defense forces was in a "reliable position" as "numerous of young people" were joining it, which he said was "a signal to our enemies".

Previous Origins of the Dispute

For decades from the late 19th century, Eritrea was ruled by Italian colonisers.

After the end of Italian rule, it was then managed by the British administration before becoming a federated part of the Ethiopian empire.

But in 1962 Emperor Haile Selassie I ended this system and Eritrea became completely integrated into Ethiopia.

A extended civil war ensued, finishing with the government's loss in 1991. Sovereignty was then approved by Eritreans in a referendum in 1993.

Briefly in the 1990s, there were positive ties between the authorities in Addis Ababa and Eritrea's capital, but they fell out over the specific demarcation of their shared boundary, causing war in 1998.

Even though this ended in a peace deal in 2000, it was never fully implemented, and the two nations continued at loggerheads.

This situation improved in 2018, when Abiy made gestures to Eritrean President the president. The two agreed to a statement that the hostilities was over – a decision that won Abiy the Nobel Peace Prize.

The two governments were then cooperators in the country's 2020-2022 armed struggle in Tigray.

But relations have later worsened again.