🔗 Share this article

Increasing worries exist regarding the possibility of military engagement between East African neighbours, Ethiopia and Eritrea, as aggressive discourse has ratcheted up in the last month.

What Has Ethiopian Officials Declared?

Landlocked Ethiopia's requests for passage to the maritime outlet through Eritrea has triggered a intense verbal exchange.

PM Abiy Ahmed previously announced in the previous year that his country's access to the sea was an crucial concern, comments that Eritrea dismissed.

Ties between the two countries have regularly been difficult. After a prolonged battle for independence, Eritrea, which has a 1,350km (840-mile) Red Sea coastline, legally broke away from Ethiopian rule in 1993, rendering it without sea access.

In 1998, a military clash broke out in which more than 100,000 people were killed.

Latest Statements from Ethiopia's Government

Abiy and military leader General Birhanu Jula have openly claimed ownership of Eritrea's southern port of the port of Assab – about 60km from the border - and implied the intention to capture it through military means.

Recently, Abiy said the country's "error" of being denied passage to the sea as a because of Eritrea secession would be "addressed in the future".

Ethiopia's ambassador to neighboring Kenya, former General Bacha Debele, said that Assab was "Ethiopian property" and would be restored "by force".

Eritrean Reaction to the Claims

Despite continuous challenges from Ethiopian officials, Asmara's position has been limited to concise remarks on social media from Information Minister Yemane G..

The minister has dismissed Ethiopia's demand for access to the Red Sea describing it as "risky" and a "toxic agenda" of "irredentism" – a policy of reclaiming lost territory.

Government spokespeople warned on 16 September that attempts to validate "blatant hostility" would have major implications for Ethiopia and its regional partners and is a "boundary that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Security Movements on the Border

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

Nonetheless, in the country, national TV has broadcast completion events of numerous trainees at various military training camps.

The head of staff section of the military, the officer, recently said in an discussion that the army was in a "reliable position" as "tens of thousands of young people" were entering service, which he said was "a warning to our opponents".

Previous Background of the Tension

For decades from 1890, Eritrea was ruled by Italian rulers.

After the end of Italian rule, it was then administered by the British administration before evolving into a federated part of Ethiopia.

But in 1962 the ruler terminated this system and the region became completely integrated into the Ethiopian state.

A extended internal conflict ensued, concluding with Ethiopia's defeat in 1991. Sovereignty was then confirmed by voters in a referendum in 1993.

Temporarily in the 1990s, there were friendly connections between the governments in Addis Ababa and Asmara, but they disagreed over the precise positioning of their mutual frontier, resulting in hostilities in 1998.

Although this ended in a ceasefire agreement in 2000, it was partially applied, and the two nations continued at odds.

This ended in 2018, when the Prime Minister made overtures to Eritrea's leader the president. The two endorsed a statement that the hostilities was concluded – a move that won the Prime Minister the prestigious award.

The neighboring states were then cooperators in Ethiopia's previous civil war in Tigray.

However diplomatic connections have later worsened again.