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Mounting concerns exist about the chance of military engagement involving East African neighbours, Ethiopia and Eritrea, as confrontational language has ratcheted up in recent weeks.

What Has Ethiopia Declared?

Landlocked Ethiopia's demands for entry to the Red Sea through Eritrean territory has sparked a fierce war of words.

The Ethiopian leader previously announced in last year that his country's sea access was an crucial concern, statements that Eritrean authorities rejected.

Diplomatic connections between the both governments have frequently been strained. After a long-standing fight for sovereignty, Eritrea, which has a 1,350km (840-mile) maritime frontage, formally separated from Ethiopian rule in 1993, rendering it without sea access.

In 1998, a territorial conflict started in which over a hundred thousand people lost their lives.

Recent Remarks from Ethiopia's Government

Abiy and army chief the army commander have openly claimed ownership of Eritrean coastal city of the port of Assab – approximately 60 kilometers from the frontier - and suggested the wish to seize it militarily.

On 1 September, the Prime Minister said the country's "error" of losing entry to the sea as a due to Eritrea secession would be "rectified soon".

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

Eritrea's Answer to the Statements

Despite continuous threats from Ethiopian officials, Eritrea's response has been confined to short statements on X from Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel.

He has rejected Ethiopia's demand for maritime entry calling it "risky" and a "harmful plan" of "expansionism" – a strategy of retaking previous domains.

Eritrean authorities alerted on recently that moves to justify "flagrant aggression" would have serious consequences for Ethiopia and its neighbouring countries and is a "boundary that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Military Preparations on the Region

There have been no reports of significant troop deployments in the boundary zones between the neighboring states.

However, in Ethiopia, national TV has shown training completions of many recruits at multiple army bases.

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

Historical Roots of the Dispute

For over fifty years from 1890, the territory was governed by Italian colonisers.

Following World War II, it was then administered by the British administration before evolving into a associated territory of the Ethiopian empire.

However in 1962 the ruler cancelled this agreement and Eritrea became completely integrated into Ethiopia.

A thirty-year armed struggle followed, concluding with Ethiopia's defeat in 1991. Autonomy was then confirmed by the population in a vote in 1993.

For a few years in the 1990s, there were friendly connections between the authorities in Addis Ababa and Eritrea's capital, but they disagreed over the precise positioning of their mutual frontier, resulting in conflict in 1998.

Though this ended in a ceasefire agreement in 2000, it was never fully implemented, and the neighbors remained at odds.

This situation improved in 2018, when the Prime Minister made approaches to Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki. The both leaders endorsed a declaration that the conflict was concluded – a move that won Abiy the Nobel Peace Prize.

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

However relations have since broken down anew.