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Growing concerns exist over the chance of armed conflict among East African countries, Ethiopia and the Eritrean government, as aggressive rhetoric has ratcheted up in the past few weeks.

What Has Ethiopia Stated?

Ethiopia's, being landlocked, demands for access to the sea coast through Eritrean territory has sparked a intense war of words.

Ethiopian Prime Minister initially stated publicly in the previous year that his nation's access to the sea was an crucial concern, statements that Eritrean authorities ignored.

Ties between the neighboring nations have regularly been difficult. After a prolonged fight for sovereignty, Eritrea, which has a 1,350km (840-mile) Red Sea coastline, officially seceded from Ethiopia in 1993, leaving it landlocked.

Subsequently, a military clash broke out in which numerous people were killed.

Latest Statements from Ethiopian Officials

Abiy and military leader the army commander have directly stated sovereignty of Eritrean coastal city of the port of Assab – about 60km from the frontier - and hinted at the wish to capture it through military means.

Recently, Abiy said the country's "blunder" of losing access to the Red Sea as a result of Eritrea's separation would be "addressed soon".

Ethiopia's ambassador to Kenya, ex-military officer Bacha, said that the port was "belonging to Ethiopia" and would be returned "through military action".

Eritrea's Response to the Statements

Despite persistent threats from Ethiopia, Eritrea's reaction has been confined to brief comments on online platforms from Communications Head Yemane G..

He has rejected Ethiopia's push for access to the Red Sea labeling it "hazardous" and a "negative policy" of "irredentism" – a approach of claiming back former lands.

Eritrean authorities alerted on recently that efforts to legitimise "flagrant aggression" would have serious consequences for the Ethiopian government and its neighbouring countries and is a "redline that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Security Preparations on the Ground

Currently, there are few indications of major military movements in the frontier regions between the neighboring states.

Nevertheless, in Ethiopia, government media has broadcast training completions of numerous trainees at different defense facilities.

The leader of human resources department of the armed forces, Lt Gen Hachalu Sheleme, stated recently in an discussion that the military was in a "reliable position" as "many thousands of recruits" were entering service, which he said was "a warning to our adversaries".

Previous Origins of the Tension

For over fifty years from 1890, the territory was administered by Italian colonisers.

Following the end of Italian rule, it was then controlled by the British administration before turning into a federated part of Ethiopia.

But in 1962 the Ethiopian emperor cancelled this arrangement and Eritrea became fully incorporated into the Ethiopian state.

A extended civil war occurred, finishing with military reversal in 1991. Sovereignty was then approved by Eritreans in a referendum in 1993.

Briefly in the 1990s, there were friendly connections between the leadership in Addis Ababa and Asmara, but they fell out over the specific demarcation of their mutual frontier, leading to hostilities in 1998.

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

This ended in 2018, when the Prime Minister made overtures to Eritrea's leader President Isaias. The both leaders agreed to a statement that the war was over – a move that gained Abiy the Nobel Peace Prize.

The two governments were then allies in the country's previous internal conflict in Tigray.

Yet diplomatic connections have since broken down again.