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Growing concerns exist regarding the chance of warfare between East African neighbours, the Ethiopian government and the Eritrean government, as confrontational language has intensified in recent weeks.

What Has Ethiopian Officials Declared?

Ethiopia's, being landlocked, calls for entry to the sea coast through Eritrea has triggered a heated verbal exchange.

PM Abiy Ahmed initially stated publicly in last year that his nation's maritime access was an crucial concern, statements that Eritrean authorities ignored.

Ties between the two countries have frequently been strained. After a long-standing struggle for freedom, the Eritrean state, which has a long sea border, formally separated from Ethiopia in 1993, making it without sea access.

Subsequently, a military clash started in which numerous people died.

Current Comments from Ethiopian Government

Prime Minister Abiy and military leader General Birhanu Jula have openly claimed control of Eritrean maritime facility of the port of Assab – some 60 km from the border - and suggested the wish to seize it militarily.

On 1 September, Abiy said Ethiopia's "error" of losing entry to the sea as a result of Eritrea's separation would be "rectified soon".

The Ethiopian envoy to Kenya, ex-military officer Bacha, said that Assab was "Ethiopian property" and would be restored "by force".

Eritrean Answer to the Statements

Amid persistent warnings from Ethiopian officials, Asmara's position has been limited to short statements on online platforms from Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel.

Officials have denied Ethiopia's push for maritime entry calling it "hazardous" and a "toxic agenda" of "territorial claims" – a policy of retaking former lands.

The information ministry cautioned on mid-September that efforts to validate "blatant hostility" would have major implications for Ethiopia and its neighbors and is a "boundary that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Defense Movements on the Border

There have been little evidence of major military movements in the frontier regions between the two countries.

Nevertheless, in the country, national TV has displayed graduation ceremonies of thousands of cadets at different defense facilities.

The director of human resources department of the armed forces, Lt Gen Hachalu Sheleme, recently said in an discussion that the defense forces was in a "strong stance" as "many thousands of youths" were joining it, which he said was "a signal to our enemies".

Past Origins of the Dispute

For decades from the late 19th century, the territory was governed by Italian colonisers.

Following World War II, it was then controlled by the British military before turning into a associated territory of Ethiopia.

But in the early 1960s the ruler cancelled this arrangement and Eritrea became fully incorporated into the Ethiopian state.

A extended internal conflict followed, ending with Ethiopia's defeat in 1991. Independence was then approved by Eritreans in a vote in 1993.

Briefly in the 1990s, there were friendly connections between the governments in Addis Ababa and Asmara, but they disagreed over the exact location of their shared boundary, causing war in 1998.

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

This changed in 2018, when Abiy made overtures to Eritrea's leader Isaias Afwerki. The two signed a announcement that the war was finished – a decision that earned Abiy the prestigious award.

The both administrations were then cooperators in the country's previous civil war in Tigray.

However relations have later worsened anew.