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Growing concerns exist about the possibility of armed conflict involving Horn of Africa neighbours, the Ethiopian government and Eritrea, as aggressive discourse has intensified in the past few weeks.

What Did Ethiopia Stated?

Ethiopia's, being landlocked, calls for entry to the maritime outlet through Eritrean territory has triggered a heated war of words.

PM Abiy Ahmed previously announced in last year that his government's access to the sea was an existential matter, statements that Eritrean authorities dismissed.

Relations between the two countries have regularly been difficult. Following a decades-long battle for independence, the Eritrean state, which has a 1,350km (840-mile) sea border, officially seceded from Ethiopia in 1993, leaving it without sea access.

In 1998, a border war broke out in which more than 100,000 people died.

Recent Remarks from Ethiopia's Leadership

Abiy and army chief General Birhanu Jula have directly stated ownership of Eritrean maritime facility of the port of Assab – some 60 km from the boundary - and suggested the wish to take it by force.

On 1 September, the Prime Minister said Ethiopia's "mistake" of being denied passage to the sea as a due to Eritrea's separation would be "corrected in the future".

The Ethiopian envoy to Kenya, ex-military officer Bacha, said that the port was "Ethiopia's wealth" and would be restored "through military action".

Eritrean Response to the Statements

Amid persistent challenges from Ethiopian officials, Eritrea's response has been restricted to short statements on online platforms from Communications Head Yemane Gebremeskel.

He has rejected Ethiopia's push for maritime entry labeling it "dangerous" and a "harmful plan" of "territorial claims" – a strategy of claiming back previous domains.

Government spokespeople alerted on 16 September that moves to legitimise "flagrant aggression" would have major implications for Ethiopia and its regional partners and is a "redline that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Defense Activities on the Ground

There have been no reports of large-scale army activities in the boundary zones between the neighboring states.

Nonetheless, in Ethiopia, government media has broadcast completion events of many recruits at different defense facilities.

The leader of staff section of the defense force, Lt Gen Hachalu Sheleme, commented lately in an discussion that the defense forces was in a "strong stance" as "numerous of recruits" were entering service, which he said was "a warning to our enemies".

Historical Origins of the Dispute

For decades from 1890, the territory was governed by Italian rulers.

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

But in the early 1960s the ruler ended this agreement and the region became totally absorbed into Ethiopia.

A three-decade long armed struggle occurred, finishing with the government's loss in the early 1990s. Sovereignty was then confirmed by Eritreans in a referendum in 1993.

Briefly in the 1990s, there were positive ties between the authorities in Ethiopia's capital and Eritrea's capital, but they fell out over the specific demarcation of their common border, resulting in hostilities in 1998.

Even though this ended in a ceasefire agreement in 2000, it was partially applied, and the both countries stayed at loggerheads.

This changed in 2018, when Abiy made gestures to Eritrean President President Isaias. The two agreed to a declaration that the conflict was over – a decision that earned Abiy the Nobel Peace Prize.

The both administrations were then cooperators in the country's recent armed struggle in Tigray.

Yet ties have subsequently deteriorated once more.