🔗 Share this article

Growing concerns exist about the chance of military engagement between Horn of Africa neighbours, the Ethiopian government and Eritrea, as confrontational discourse has intensified in recent weeks.

What Did Ethiopia Declared?

Landlocked Ethiopia's demands for entry to the maritime outlet through Eritrean territory has triggered a intense rhetorical conflict.

PM Abiy Ahmed previously announced in the previous year that his government's maritime access was an existential matter, comments that Eritrea ignored.

Relations between the two countries have frequently been strained. Following a long-standing struggle for freedom, Eritrea, which has a extensive maritime frontage, officially seceded from Ethiopia in 1993, making it landlocked.

In 1998, a military clash erupted in which numerous people lost their lives.

Recent Remarks from Ethiopian Government

Prime Minister Abiy and military leader General Birhanu Jula have directly stated sovereignty of Eritrea's coastal city of the port of Assab – some 60 km from the frontier - and suggested the wish to take it by force.

On 1 September, the Prime Minister said Ethiopia's "mistake" of losing access to the sea as a because of Eritrea secession would be "rectified tomorrow".

The Ethiopian envoy to neighboring Kenya, retired Gen Bacha Debele, said that Assab was "belonging to Ethiopia" and would be given back "through military action".

Eritrea's Answer to the Statements

In the face of continuous threats from Ethiopian officials, Asmara's position has been limited to concise remarks on social media from Communications Head Yemane G..

Officials have denied Ethiopian requests for sea access labeling it "hazardous" and a "negative policy" of "irredentism" – a approach of retaking former lands.

Government spokespeople cautioned on mid-September that attempts to justify "flagrant aggression" would have significant repercussions for the Ethiopian government and its regional partners and is a "redline that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Security Preparations on the Border

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

Nevertheless, in the country, state television has shown completion events of numerous trainees at various military training camps.

The leader of personnel division of the military, Lt Gen Hachalu Sheleme, recently said in an interview that the military was in a "strong stance" as "numerous of young people" were enlisting, which he said was "a warning to our adversaries".

Previous Roots of the Dispute

For decades from the late 19th century, the territory was ruled by colonial powers.

Following World War II, it was then controlled by the UK forces before becoming a integrated region of the Ethiopian empire.

But in 1962 the ruler ended this arrangement and Eritrea became totally absorbed into the Ethiopian state.

A thirty-year internal conflict occurred, finishing with Ethiopia's defeat in 1991. Autonomy was then endorsed by voters in a plebiscite in 1993.

For a few years in the 1990s, there were friendly connections between the leadership in Ethiopia's capital and Eritrea's capital, but they clashed over the specific demarcation of their mutual frontier, resulting in hostilities in 1998.

Though this concluded in a ceasefire agreement in 2000, it was partially applied, and the both countries continued at odds.

This changed in 2018, when Abiy made approaches to Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki. The both leaders endorsed a announcement that the hostilities was concluded – a move that earned Abiy the international recognition.

The both administrations were then cooperators in Ethiopia's 2020-2022 internal conflict in the northern region.

But diplomatic connections have subsequently deteriorated anew.