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Increasing concerns are present about the chance of military engagement among East African countries, the Ethiopian government and Eritrea, as hostile discourse has escalated in recent weeks.

What Did Ethiopian Officials Stated?

Ethiopia's, being landlocked, calls for entry to the sea coast through Eritrea has provoked a intense rhetorical conflict.

The Ethiopian leader initially stated publicly in last year that his government's sea access was an crucial concern, remarks that Eritrea rejected.

Ties between the two countries have frequently been strained. Following a prolonged battle for independence, the Eritrean state, which has a 1,350km (840-mile) maritime frontage, legally broke away from Ethiopian rule in the early 1990s, making it without sea access.

Five years later, a military clash started in which over a hundred thousand people lost their lives.

Latest Remarks from Ethiopia's Leadership

Abiy and military leader the army commander have publicly asserted sovereignty of Eritrea's maritime facility of the port of Assab – about 60km from the frontier - and suggested the desire to capture it through military means.

Recently, the Prime Minister said the country's "blunder" of losing access to the sea as a result of Eritrea secession would be "addressed soon".

Ethiopia's ambassador to Kenya, retired Gen Bacha Debele, said that the port was "belonging to Ethiopia" and would be restored "using武力".

Eritrean Response to the Claims

Amid persistent warnings from Ethiopian officials, Eritrea's response has been confined to concise remarks on online platforms from Information Minister the minister.

Officials have denied Ethiopia's demand for sea access calling it "risky" and a "toxic agenda" of "expansionism" – a policy of reclaiming lost territory.

Government spokespeople warned on mid-September that attempts to validate "blatant hostility" would have serious consequences for the Ethiopian government and its regional partners and is a "limit that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Military Movements on the Border

Currently, there are little evidence of major military movements in the boundary zones between the neighboring states.

Nevertheless, in Ethiopia, government media has displayed completion events of many recruits at various military training camps.

The leader of personnel division of the defense force, the officer, recently said in an conversation that the defense forces was in a "reliable position" as "tens of thousands of recruits" were joining it, which he said was "a warning to our adversaries".

Past Background of the Tension

For more than half a century from the late 19th century, Eritrea was ruled by Italian rulers.

Following the end of Italian rule, it was then managed by the UK forces before turning into a integrated region of Ethiopia.

Yet in 1962 the ruler terminated this agreement and Eritrea became fully incorporated into Ethiopia.

A three-decade long civil war followed, finishing with the government's loss in 1991. Sovereignty was then approved by Eritreans in a referendum in 1993.

Briefly in the 1990s, there were good relations between the governments in Ethiopia's capital and Eritrea's capital, but they fell out over the precise positioning of their mutual frontier, leading to hostilities in 1998.

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

This ended in 2018, when Abiy made approaches to Eritrea's leader the president. The both leaders signed a declaration that the conflict was concluded – a decision that won the Prime Minister the prestigious award.

The neighboring states were then cooperators in Ethiopia's recent armed struggle in the northern region.

But relations have subsequently deteriorated again.