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Increasing concerns are present regarding the chance of military engagement involving East African countries, Ethiopia and Eritrea, as aggressive discourse has ratcheted up in recent weeks.

What Has Ethiopia Said?

Ethiopia's, being landlocked, calls for access to the sea coast through Eritrean territory has provoked a fierce rhetorical conflict.

PM Abiy Ahmed initially stated publicly in the previous year that his government's sea access was an vital issue, statements that Eritrea rejected.

Ties between the both governments have regularly been difficult. Following a prolonged battle for independence, the Eritrean state, which has a long Red Sea coastline, officially seceded from Ethiopia in the early 1990s, making it cut off from the sea.

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

Current Remarks from Ethiopian Leadership

Prime Minister Abiy and military leader General Birhanu Jula have openly claimed control of Eritrean coastal city of Assab – some 60 km from the border - and suggested the desire to seize it militarily.

Recently, the Prime Minister said Ethiopia's "mistake" of losing entry to the Red Sea as a because of Eritrean independence would be "corrected soon".

The Ethiopian envoy to neighboring Kenya, ex-military officer Bacha, said that the port was "Ethiopian property" and would be returned "through military action".

Eritrea's Reaction to the Claims

In the face of ongoing threats from Ethiopia, Asmara's position has been limited to concise remarks on X from Information Minister Yemane G..

Officials have denied Ethiopia's demand for maritime entry labeling it "hazardous" and a "harmful plan" of "territorial claims" – a policy of claiming back previous domains.

Government spokespeople warned on recently that moves to legitimise "obvious provocation" would have major implications for Ethiopia and its neighbors and is a "boundary that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Security Movements on the Region

So far, there are few indications of major military movements in the frontier regions between the neighboring states.

Nonetheless, in Ethiopia, national TV has shown graduation ceremonies of many recruits at multiple army bases.

The director of staff section of the defense force, Lt Gen Hachalu Sheleme, stated recently in an conversation that the military was in a "strong stance" as "tens of thousands of young people" were entering service, which he said was "a message to our opponents".

Past Background of the Conflict

For more than half a century from the late 19th century, the territory was administered by Italian colonisers.

After World War II, it was then controlled by the British military before becoming a federated part of Ethiopia.

However in 1962 the ruler ended this system and Eritrea became fully incorporated into Ethiopia.

A extended internal conflict ensued, ending with military reversal in 1991. Independence was then endorsed by Eritreans in a vote in 1993.

Briefly in the 1990s, there were good relations between the authorities in Ethiopia's capital and Eritrea's capital, but they fell out over the precise positioning of their shared boundary, causing war in 1998.

Even though this ended in a ceasefire agreement in 2000, it was never fully implemented, and the neighbors continued at in dispute.

This situation improved in 2018, when Abiy made overtures to Eritrean President President Isaias. The both leaders signed a statement that the conflict was over – a action that gained Abiy the prestigious award.

The neighboring states were then partners in the country's recent internal conflict in Tigray.

Yet diplomatic connections have subsequently deteriorated again.