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Increasing concerns have emerged regarding the chance of warfare between Horn of Africa neighbors, Ethiopia and Eritrea, as aggressive discourse has escalated in recent weeks.

What Did Ethiopia Declared?

Landlocked Ethiopia's requests for passage to the maritime outlet through Eritrean territory has sparked a fierce war of words.

Ethiopian Prime Minister first openly declared in 2023 that his government's access to the sea was an existential matter, remarks that Eritrea rejected.

Ties between the two countries have often been tense. After a prolonged fight for sovereignty, Eritrea, which has a 1,350km (840-mile) Red Sea coastline, legally broke away from Ethiopian rule in 1993, making it cut off from the sea.

Five years later, a territorial conflict broke out in which over a hundred thousand people died.

Current Remarks from Ethiopia's Government

Abiy and military leader General Birhanu Jula have directly stated ownership of Eritrean maritime facility of Assab – some 60 km from the boundary - and implied the wish to seize it militarily.

Recently, the Prime Minister said the country's "error" of losing entry to the Red Sea as a due to Eritrea secession would be "rectified tomorrow".

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

Eritrean Answer to the Claims

In the face of persistent challenges from Ethiopian officials, Asmara's position has been limited to concise remarks on online platforms from Communications Head Yemane Gebremeskel.

The minister has dismissed Ethiopia's demand for access to the Red Sea labeling it "dangerous" and a "harmful plan" of "irredentism" – a policy of reclaiming previous domains.

Government spokespeople warned on recently that moves to justify "obvious provocation" would have significant repercussions for Ethiopia and its neighbouring countries and is a "redline that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Military Activities on the Border

So far, there are little evidence of significant troop deployments in the frontier regions between the two countries.

Nevertheless, in the country, state television has broadcast graduation ceremonies of numerous trainees at different defense facilities.

The leader of personnel division of the armed forces, the officer, recently said in an conversation that the defense forces was in a "strong stance" as "many thousands of young people" were enlisting, which he said was "a warning to our opponents".

Historical Origins of the Dispute

For decades from the late 19th century, the territory was governed by Italian colonisers.

After World War II, it was then administered by the British military before evolving into a federated part of the Ethiopian empire.

Yet in the early 1960s the ruler terminated this system and the region became fully incorporated into Ethiopia.

A thirty-year armed struggle followed, concluding with Ethiopia's defeat in 1991. Autonomy was then confirmed by the population in a plebiscite in 1993.

Briefly in the 1990s, there were friendly connections between the governments in Addis Ababa and Eritrea's capital, but they clashed over the exact location of their mutual frontier, causing conflict in 1998.

Even though this ended in a truce in 2000, it was incompletely executed, and the both countries continued at in dispute.

This ended in 2018, when Abiy made gestures to Eritrea's leader the president. The both leaders signed a declaration that the hostilities was over – a move that gained Abiy the prestigious award.

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

But ties have since broken down anew.