Intensifying War of Words Among Ethiopian Government and Eritrea Sparks Concerns of Conflict

Mounting concerns have emerged regarding the chance of military engagement among East African neighbours, Ethiopia and the Eritrean government, as hostile rhetoric has escalated in recent weeks.

What Did Ethiopia Said?

Landlocked Ethiopia's calls for access to the sea coast through Eritrean territory has sparked a intense verbal exchange.

The Ethiopian leader previously announced in 2023 that his country's access to the sea was an vital issue, statements that Eritrea dismissed.

Ties between the two countries have often been tense. Following a long-standing fight for sovereignty, Eritrea, which has a 1,350km (840-mile) Red Sea coastline, legally broke away from Ethiopian rule in the early 1990s, rendering it cut off from the sea.

Subsequently, a military clash erupted in which over a hundred thousand people died.

Current Comments from Ethiopia's Officials

Abiy and military leader the army commander have openly claimed control of Eritrean coastal city of Assab – some 60 km from the border - and hinted at the intention to take it by force.

In early September, the Prime Minister said Ethiopia's "mistake" of losing access to the Red Sea as a due to Eritrean independence would be "addressed soon".

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

Eritrea's Answer to the Claims

Despite persistent threats from Ethiopia, Asmara's position has been limited to concise remarks on social media from Information Minister the minister.

He has rejected Ethiopia's push for access to the Red Sea labeling it "dangerous" and a "harmful plan" of "territorial claims" – a policy of claiming back lost territory.

The information ministry alerted on 16 September that moves to justify "blatant hostility" would have serious consequences for the Ethiopian government and its neighbouring countries and is a "boundary that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Military Activities on the Ground

There have been no reports of large-scale army activities in the border areas between the two countries.

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

The head of personnel division of the military, the officer, recently said in an conversation that the defense forces was in a "reliable position" as "tens of thousands of young people" were enlisting, which he said was "a signal to our opponents".

Previous Origins of the Dispute

For more than half a century from 1890, Eritrea was administered by colonial powers.

After World War II, it was then controlled by the British military before becoming a integrated region of Ethiopia.

Yet in the early 1960s the ruler terminated this agreement and the region became completely integrated into Ethiopia.

A thirty-year armed struggle ensued, finishing with the government's loss in the early 1990s. Autonomy was then approved by the population in a plebiscite in 1993.

Briefly in the 1990s, there were friendly connections between the governments in Ethiopia's capital and Asmara, but they disagreed over the exact location of their common border, resulting in war in 1998.

Even though this concluded in a truce in 2000, it was never fully implemented, and the neighbors remained at loggerheads.

This ended in 2018, when Abiy made approaches to Eritrean President the president. The both leaders endorsed a declaration that the conflict was over – a move that won the Prime Minister the international recognition.

The neighboring states were then allies in the country's recent civil war in the northern region.

But relations have subsequently deteriorated again.