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Mounting apprehensions exist regarding the potential of warfare involving East African neighbors, Ethiopia and the Eritrean government, as confrontational rhetoric has intensified in the past few weeks.

What Did Ethiopian Officials Declared?

Ethiopia's, being landlocked, calls for entry to the sea coast through Eritrean territory has sparked a fierce war of words.

Ethiopian Prime Minister first openly declared in the previous year that his nation's maritime access was an existential matter, comments that Eritrean authorities rejected.

Relations between the both governments have frequently been strained. Following a prolonged fight for sovereignty, the Eritrean state, which has a 1,350km (840-mile) Red Sea coastline, officially seceded from Ethiopia in 1993, rendering it without sea access.

Subsequently, a territorial conflict broke out in which more than 100,000 people died.

Recent Remarks from Ethiopia's Government

Abiy and army chief the army commander have directly stated control of Eritrea's southern port of Assab – some 60 km from the boundary - and hinted at the desire to take it by force.

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

The Ethiopian envoy to Kenya, retired Gen Bacha Debele, said that the port was "Ethiopian property" and would be restored "using武力".

Eritrea's Reaction to the Claims

In the face of persistent threats from Ethiopian officials, Eritrea's reaction has been limited to short statements on online platforms from Communications Head Yemane G..

He has rejected Ethiopia's demand for access to the Red Sea calling it "risky" and a "harmful plan" of "territorial claims" – a approach of reclaiming previous domains.

The information ministry alerted on 16 September that attempts to legitimise "flagrant aggression" would have major implications for the Ethiopian government and its neighbors and is a "boundary that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Security Preparations on the Ground

So far, there are little evidence of major military movements in the frontier regions between the neighboring states.

Nonetheless, in the country, state television has broadcast graduation ceremonies of numerous trainees at various military training camps.

The director of personnel division of the armed forces, General Hachalu, recently said in an interview that the army was in a "secure situation" as "many thousands of youths" were entering service, which he said was "a message to our opponents".

Past Roots of the Dispute

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

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

But in 1962 the ruler ended this arrangement and the region became fully incorporated into the Ethiopian state.

A three-decade long civil war occurred, concluding with military reversal in 1991. Independence was then endorsed by voters in a vote in 1993.

Temporarily in the 1990s, there were good relations between the authorities in Addis Ababa and Asmara, but they clashed over the specific demarcation of their common border, causing hostilities in 1998.

Although this finished in a ceasefire agreement in 2000, it was partially applied, and the both countries remained at loggerheads.

This situation improved in 2018, when the Prime Minister made gestures to Eritrea's leader the president. The two agreed to a declaration that the conflict was over – a action that gained the Prime Minister the international recognition.

The two governments were then partners in Ethiopia's previous armed struggle in the northern region.

But relations have later worsened anew.