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Mounting concerns are present about the chance of warfare among Horn of Africa countries, Ethiopia and the Eritrean government, as hostile discourse has escalated in recent weeks.

What Did Ethiopia Stated?

Ethiopia's, being landlocked, calls for passage to the maritime outlet through Eritrean territory has sparked a intense rhetorical conflict.

Ethiopian Prime Minister initially stated publicly in the previous year that his government's sea access was an vital issue, remarks that Eritrea dismissed.

Diplomatic connections between the two countries have regularly been difficult. After a prolonged struggle for freedom, Eritrea, which has a long sea border, officially seceded from Ethiopian rule in 1993, making it landlocked.

Five years later, a military clash broke out in which more than 100,000 people were killed.

Latest Comments from Ethiopian Government

Abiy and army chief the army commander have openly claimed ownership of Eritrea's maritime facility of the port of Assab – some 60 km from the frontier - and hinted at the wish to seize it militarily.

Recently, the Prime Minister said the country's "mistake" of losing access to the Red Sea as a because of Eritrea's separation would be "corrected in the future".

The Ethiopian envoy to neighboring Kenya, retired Gen Bacha Debele, said that Assab was "Ethiopian property" and would be restored "through military action".

Eritrea's Reaction to the Threats

In the face of persistent challenges from Ethiopian officials, Eritrea's response has been confined to concise remarks on social media from Communications Head Yemane Gebremeskel.

He has rejected Ethiopia's demand for access to the Red Sea describing it as "hazardous" and a "toxic agenda" of "expansionism" – a strategy of claiming back former lands.

Government spokespeople alerted on recently that efforts to validate "blatant hostility" would have major implications for Ethiopia and its neighbouring countries and is a "boundary that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Military Preparations on the Ground

So far, there are no reports of major military movements in the border areas between the neighboring states.

Nonetheless, in Ethiopia, government media has broadcast training completions of numerous trainees at different defense facilities.

The director of staff section of the military, General Hachalu, stated recently in an conversation that the army was in a "secure situation" as "numerous of young people" were entering service, which he said was "a warning to our opponents".

Previous Origins of the Tension

For over fifty years from the late 19th century, the territory was governed by Italian colonisers.

Following the end of Italian rule, it was then managed by the British administration before turning into a federated part of Ethiopia.

But in the early 1960s the Ethiopian emperor ended this system and the region became fully incorporated into Ethiopia.

A extended internal conflict followed, concluding with the government's loss in 1991. Independence was then endorsed by Eritreans in a referendum in 1993.

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

Even though this ended in a ceasefire agreement in 2000, it was partially applied, and the neighbors continued at in dispute.

This changed in 2018, when Abiy made approaches to Eritrea's leader the president. The two signed a announcement that the war was concluded – a action that won the Prime Minister the Nobel Peace Prize.

The two governments were then partners in Ethiopia's recent internal conflict in the northern region.

Yet ties have since broken down again.