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Growing concerns are present regarding the potential of military engagement among Horn of Africa countries, the Ethiopian government and the Eritrean government, as aggressive rhetoric has intensified in recent weeks.

What Has Ethiopia Said?

Ethiopia's, being landlocked, requests for access to the maritime outlet through Eritrea has triggered a intense verbal exchange.

Ethiopian Prime Minister initially stated publicly in 2023 that his nation's maritime access was an existential matter, statements that Eritrean authorities dismissed.

Diplomatic connections between the neighboring nations have regularly been difficult. After a prolonged battle for independence, the Eritrean state, which has a long maritime frontage, legally broke away from Ethiopian rule in 1993, rendering it without sea access.

In 1998, a military clash erupted in which numerous people died.

Current Statements from Ethiopia's Government

Prime Minister Abiy and army chief Field Marshal Birhanu Jula have directly stated sovereignty of Eritrean maritime facility of the port of Assab – some 60 km from the border - and implied the desire to seize it militarily.

In early September, Abiy said Ethiopia's "error" of losing access to the sea as a result of Eritrea secession would be "rectified in the future".

The Ethiopian envoy to neighboring Kenya, retired Gen Bacha Debele, said that Assab was "Ethiopia's wealth" and would be returned "by force".

Eritrean Response to the Claims

Despite persistent challenges from Ethiopian officials, Eritrea's reaction has been limited to concise remarks on online platforms from Information Minister Yemane G..

The minister has dismissed Ethiopia's demand for maritime entry describing it as "risky" and a "negative policy" of "territorial claims" – a policy of claiming back former lands.

Government spokespeople warned on recently that moves to legitimise "blatant hostility" would have significant repercussions for the Ethiopian government and its neighbors and is a "boundary that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Security Preparations on the Ground

There have been no reports of major military movements in the boundary zones between the two countries.

However, in the country, national TV has displayed completion events of many recruits at various military training camps.

The director of personnel division of the armed forces, General Hachalu, stated recently in an conversation that the army was in a "strong stance" as "tens of thousands of young people" were entering service, which he said was "a warning to our adversaries".

Previous Origins of the Conflict

For over fifty years from the late 19th century, the territory was governed by Italian colonisers.

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

However in 1962 Emperor Haile Selassie I cancelled this arrangement and the region became completely integrated into the Ethiopian state.

A three-decade long internal conflict occurred, concluding with Ethiopia's defeat in 1991. Sovereignty was then confirmed by the population in a vote in 1993.

Temporarily in the 1990s, there were friendly connections between the authorities in Ethiopia's capital and Asmara, but they fell out over the specific demarcation of their common border, causing conflict in 1998.

Although this concluded in a peace deal in 2000, it was never fully implemented, and the both countries continued at loggerheads.

This situation improved in 2018, when the Prime Minister made approaches to Eritrean President the president. The both leaders signed a announcement that the hostilities was concluded – a move that won Abiy the prestigious award.

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

Yet relations have later worsened anew.