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Growing worries are present about the possibility of armed conflict involving East African countries, the Ethiopian government and the Eritrean government, as confrontational discourse has ratcheted up in the past few weeks.

What Did Ethiopia Said?

Ethiopia's, being landlocked, calls for passage to the maritime outlet through Eritrean territory has sparked a fierce war of words.

The Ethiopian leader previously announced in the previous year that his country's maritime access was an vital issue, comments that Eritrea ignored.

Relations between the both governments have frequently been strained. Following a prolonged struggle for freedom, the Eritrean state, which has a long maritime frontage, formally separated from Ethiopia in the early 1990s, leaving it cut off from the sea.

Subsequently, a territorial conflict broke out in which over a hundred thousand people lost their lives.

Current Remarks from Ethiopia's Officials

Prime Minister Abiy and army chief General Birhanu Jula have publicly asserted control of Eritrean coastal city of the port of Assab – some 60 km from the boundary - and hinted at the desire to take it by force.

On 1 September, Abiy said Ethiopia's "error" of losing access to the sea as a due to Eritrea's separation would be "rectified in the future".

Ethiopia's ambassador to neighboring Kenya, ex-military officer Bacha, said that Assab was "Ethiopia's wealth" and would be returned "using武力".

Eritrea's Response to the Threats

Despite persistent challenges from Ethiopia, Eritrea's reaction has been confined to brief comments on X from Communications Head Yemane Gebremeskel.

Officials have denied Ethiopian requests for maritime entry labeling it "risky" and a "toxic agenda" of "territorial claims" – a policy of retaking former lands.

The information ministry warned on recently that moves to legitimise "obvious provocation" would have significant repercussions for Ethiopia and its neighbouring countries and is a "limit that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Military Activities on the Border

There have been no reports of major military movements in the border areas between the both nations.

However, in the country, government media has displayed training completions of thousands of cadets at multiple army bases.

The leader of staff section of the armed forces, General Hachalu, stated recently in an conversation that the army was in a "secure situation" as "tens of thousands of recruits" were joining it, which he said was "a signal to our adversaries".

Past Background of the Conflict

For decades from the late 19th century, Eritrea was administered by colonial powers.

After the end of Italian rule, it was then administered by the British military before evolving into a federated part of Ethiopia.

But in 1962 Emperor Haile Selassie I ended this agreement and the region became fully incorporated into the Ethiopian state.

A three-decade long internal conflict occurred, ending with the government's loss in 1991. Autonomy was then endorsed by voters in a referendum in 1993.

For a few years in the 1990s, there were positive ties between the authorities in Addis Ababa and Asmara, but they disagreed over the precise positioning of their common border, causing hostilities in 1998.

Even though this ended in a peace deal in 2000, it was never fully implemented, and the both countries stayed at in dispute.

This ended in 2018, when the Prime Minister made overtures to Eritrea's leader the president. The two endorsed a statement that the conflict was concluded – a move that won the Prime Minister the prestigious award.

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

However relations have subsequently deteriorated anew.