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Increasing concerns are present regarding the chance of armed conflict among Horn of Africa countries, the Ethiopian government and the Eritrean government, as hostile language has escalated in the past few weeks.

What Did Ethiopia Stated?

Ethiopia's, being landlocked, demands for passage to the sea coast through Eritrean territory has provoked a fierce war of words.

PM Abiy Ahmed initially stated publicly in last year that his nation's maritime access was an existential matter, remarks that Eritrean authorities dismissed.

Ties between the both governments have often been tense. After a prolonged battle for independence, Eritrea, which has a 1,350km (840-mile) maritime frontage, officially seceded from Ethiopian rule in the early 1990s, leaving it landlocked.

Five years later, a border war erupted in which over a hundred thousand people were killed.

Recent Comments from Ethiopian Leadership

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

On 1 September, the Prime Minister said the country's "error" of losing entry to the Red Sea as a due to Eritrean independence would be "addressed in the future".

Ethiopia's ambassador to neighboring Kenya, former General Bacha Debele, said that Assab was "Ethiopia's wealth" and would be returned "using武力".

Eritrean Answer to the Threats

Amid continuous threats from Ethiopian officials, Eritrea's reaction has been limited to concise remarks on social media from Information Minister the minister.

He has rejected Ethiopia's push for maritime entry labeling it "risky" and a "negative policy" of "irredentism" – a strategy of reclaiming previous domains.

Eritrean authorities warned on 16 September that efforts to justify "blatant hostility" would have significant repercussions for the Ethiopian government and its neighbors and is a "redline that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Security Activities on the Region

There have been few indications of major military movements in the frontier regions between the both nations.

However, in the country, government media has broadcast completion events of many recruits at various military training camps.

The leader of personnel division of the defense force, General Hachalu, recently said in an discussion that the military was in a "reliable position" as "many thousands of youths" were enlisting, which he said was "a signal to our adversaries".

Past Origins of the Conflict

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

After Italy's defeat, it was then controlled by the UK forces before turning into a federated part of Ethiopia.

But in 1962 the ruler cancelled this arrangement and the region became completely integrated into Ethiopia.

A three-decade long civil war occurred, concluding with Ethiopia's defeat in 1991. Independence was then endorsed by the population in a plebiscite in 1993.

Temporarily in the 1990s, there were friendly connections between the governments in Ethiopia's capital and Eritrea's capital, but they clashed over the specific demarcation of their common border, resulting in hostilities in 1998.

Though this finished in a peace deal in 2000, it was partially applied, and the neighbors continued at in dispute.

This ended in 2018, when the Prime Minister made gestures to Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki. The two endorsed a declaration that the hostilities was over – a move that gained the Prime Minister the prestigious award.

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

But relations have subsequently deteriorated once more.