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Increasing concerns are present about the possibility of military engagement involving Horn of Africa neighbours, Ethiopia and Eritrea, as hostile rhetoric has ratcheted up in recent weeks.

What Has Ethiopia Stated?

Landlocked Ethiopia's requests for passage to the sea coast through Eritrea has provoked a fierce verbal exchange.

The Ethiopian leader initially stated publicly in 2023 that his nation's sea access was an crucial concern, comments that Eritrea dismissed.

Relations between the both governments have regularly been difficult. After a decades-long fight for sovereignty, the Eritrean state, which has a extensive sea border, formally separated from Ethiopian rule in 1993, making it landlocked.

Five years later, a border war broke out in which more than 100,000 people were killed.

Latest Statements from Ethiopian Government

Prime Minister Abiy and military leader General Birhanu Jula have directly stated control of Eritrea's southern port of the port of Assab – approximately 60 kilometers from the boundary - and hinted at the desire to seize it militarily.

In early September, Abiy said Ethiopia's "error" of being denied passage to the sea as a because of Eritrea secession would be "rectified tomorrow".

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

Eritrea's Response to the Statements

In the face of persistent challenges from Ethiopia, Eritrea's reaction has been confined to concise remarks on online platforms from Communications Head Yemane G..

The minister has dismissed Ethiopian requests for sea access calling it "hazardous" and a "negative policy" of "territorial claims" – a strategy of reclaiming previous domains.

The information ministry cautioned on recently that attempts to validate "obvious provocation" would have serious consequences for the Ethiopian government and its regional partners and is a "boundary that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Defense Preparations on the Ground

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

However, in Ethiopia, state television has shown graduation ceremonies of many recruits at multiple army bases.

The director of staff section of the armed forces, Lt Gen Hachalu Sheleme, recently said in an discussion that the military was in a "reliable position" as "many thousands of recruits" were enlisting, which he said was "a warning to our adversaries".

Historical Origins of the Dispute

For more than half a century from 1890, the territory was ruled by colonial powers.

After Italy's defeat, it was then managed by the British administration before becoming a associated territory of the Ethiopian empire.

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

A extended internal conflict occurred, concluding with Ethiopia's defeat in 1991. Autonomy was then confirmed by Eritreans in a vote in 1993.

Briefly in the 1990s, there were friendly connections between the authorities in Ethiopia's capital and Asmara, but they clashed over the precise positioning of their common border, causing war in 1998.

Though this finished in a peace deal in 2000, it was never fully implemented, and the neighbors remained at loggerheads.

This situation improved in 2018, when Abiy made approaches to Eritrean President the president. The two signed a statement that the conflict was over – a decision that gained the Prime Minister the prestigious award.

The two governments were then cooperators in the country's 2020-2022 civil war in the northern region.

But ties have since broken down anew.