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Increasing apprehensions have emerged over the possibility of military engagement between East African neighbours, the Ethiopian government and the Eritrean government, as confrontational language has ratcheted up in the past few weeks.

What Did Ethiopia Said?

Ethiopia's, being landlocked, demands for access to the sea coast through Eritrea has triggered a heated rhetorical conflict.

The Ethiopian leader first openly declared in 2023 that his government's access to the sea was an crucial concern, remarks that Eritrean authorities ignored.

Diplomatic connections between the both governments have frequently been strained. Following a long-standing battle for independence, Eritrea, which has a long Red Sea coastline, officially seceded from Ethiopia in the early 1990s, rendering it landlocked.

Five years later, a territorial conflict erupted in which over a hundred thousand people lost their lives.

Current Remarks from Ethiopian Government

Abiy and military leader the army commander have directly stated ownership of Eritrean southern port of Assab – some 60 km from the boundary - and implied the desire to seize it militarily.

On 1 September, the Prime Minister said Ethiopia's "blunder" of losing access to the Red Sea as a result of Eritrean independence would be "rectified soon".

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

Eritrea's Reaction to the Threats

In the face of continuous threats from Ethiopia, Asmara's position has been confined to brief comments on online platforms from Communications Head the minister.

The minister has dismissed Ethiopian requests for maritime entry calling it "dangerous" and a "toxic agenda" of "expansionism" – a approach of reclaiming previous domains.

Government spokespeople alerted on mid-September that attempts 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".

Defense Movements on the Region

So far, there are few indications of large-scale army activities in the boundary zones between the two countries.

Nonetheless, in Ethiopia, state television has displayed completion events of many recruits at various military training camps.

The leader of human resources department of the military, Lt Gen Hachalu Sheleme, stated recently in an interview that the army was in a "secure situation" as "tens of thousands of recruits" were entering service, which he said was "a warning to our enemies".

Past Origins of the Tension

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

Following the end of Italian rule, it was then controlled by the UK forces before evolving into a federated part of the Ethiopian empire.

However in the early 1960s the ruler cancelled this arrangement and the region became fully incorporated into Ethiopia.

A thirty-year civil war followed, ending with the government's loss in the early 1990s. Autonomy was then endorsed by Eritreans in a referendum in 1993.

For a few years in the 1990s, there were positive ties between the leadership in Ethiopia's capital and Asmara, but they disagreed over the precise positioning of their shared boundary, leading to war in 1998.

Though this finished in a truce in 2000, it was partially applied, and the both countries remained at odds.

This ended in 2018, when Abiy made approaches to Eritrean President the president. The two endorsed a statement that the hostilities was concluded – a decision that won Abiy the Nobel Peace Prize.

The neighboring states were then cooperators in Ethiopia's recent civil war in Tigray.

But diplomatic connections have later worsened anew.