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Growing worries exist over the potential of warfare between Horn of Africa countries, the Ethiopian government and the Eritrean government, as aggressive rhetoric has escalated in recent weeks.

What Has Ethiopian Officials Declared?

Ethiopia's, being landlocked, requests for entry to the Red Sea through Eritrean territory has triggered a fierce rhetorical conflict.

The Ethiopian leader initially stated publicly in last year that his government's sea access was an crucial concern, comments that Eritrean authorities ignored.

Diplomatic connections between the both governments have often been tense. After a decades-long battle for independence, the Eritrean state, which has a 1,350km (840-mile) sea border, legally broke away from Ethiopian rule in 1993, leaving it landlocked.

In 1998, a border war started in which numerous people were killed.

Current Remarks from Ethiopian Officials

Prime Minister Abiy and military leader General Birhanu Jula have openly claimed sovereignty of Eritrean southern port of the port of Assab – some 60 km from the border - and implied the intention to seize it militarily.

On 1 September, the Prime Minister said Ethiopia's "blunder" of losing access to the Red Sea as a result of Eritrea's separation would be "addressed soon".

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

Eritrea's Reaction to the Statements

Despite ongoing threats from Ethiopia, Eritrea's response has been confined to short statements on social media from Information Minister the minister.

The minister has dismissed Ethiopia's demand for sea access describing it as "hazardous" and a "toxic agenda" of "territorial claims" – a policy of retaking previous domains.

Eritrean authorities cautioned on mid-September that moves to legitimise "blatant hostility" would have significant repercussions for Ethiopia and its neighbouring countries and is a "limit that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Defense Activities on the Region

So far, there are no reports of large-scale army activities in the border areas between the two countries.

Nonetheless, in Ethiopia, state television has broadcast training completions of thousands of cadets at multiple army bases.

The head of personnel division of the defense force, the officer, stated recently in an conversation that the army was in a "reliable position" as "numerous of youths" were enlisting, which he said was "a warning to our adversaries".

Previous Background of the Tension

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

After the end of Italian rule, it was then controlled by the UK forces before turning into a associated territory of Ethiopia.

But in the early 1960s the ruler terminated this arrangement and Eritrea became totally absorbed into Ethiopia.

A three-decade long armed struggle occurred, ending with the government's loss in 1991. Sovereignty was then approved by Eritreans in a vote in 1993.

For a few years in the 1990s, there were friendly connections between the governments in Ethiopia's capital and Eritrea's capital, but they clashed over the exact location of their common border, resulting in war in 1998.

Although this concluded in a ceasefire agreement in 2000, it was never fully implemented, and the two nations stayed at in dispute.

This changed in 2018, when Abiy made gestures to Eritrea's leader President Isaias. The two signed a announcement that the hostilities was finished – a action that gained Abiy the international recognition.

The neighboring states were then partners in the country's 2020-2022 civil war in the northern region.

But ties have later worsened again.