Intensifying Rhetorical Battle Among Ethiopia and Eritrea Sparks Anxieties of Conflict

Growing apprehensions are present regarding the chance of military engagement between East African neighbours, the Ethiopian government and the Eritrean government, as confrontational discourse has intensified in recent weeks.

What Has Ethiopia Declared?

Landlocked Ethiopia's calls for passage to the sea coast through Eritrea has triggered a heated rhetorical conflict.

Ethiopian Prime Minister first openly declared in last year that his country's maritime access was an vital issue, remarks that Eritrean authorities rejected.

Ties between the both governments have frequently been strained. Following a long-standing struggle for freedom, Eritrea, which has a extensive sea border, formally separated from Ethiopian rule in the early 1990s, making it without sea access.

Subsequently, a border war erupted in which more than 100,000 people died.

Recent Remarks from Ethiopian Government

Abiy and army chief the army commander have openly claimed control of Eritrea's maritime facility of Assab – approximately 60 kilometers from the border - and implied the wish to capture it through military means.

In early September, the Prime Minister said the country's "mistake" of losing entry to the Red Sea as a result of Eritrean independence would be "addressed tomorrow".

Ethiopia's ambassador to neighboring Kenya, former General Bacha Debele, said that the port was "belonging to Ethiopia" and would be restored "by force".

Eritrea's Response to the Statements

Despite ongoing warnings from Ethiopia, Eritrea's reaction has been restricted to short statements on online platforms from Communications Head the minister.

The minister has dismissed Ethiopian requests for sea access labeling it "risky" and a "harmful plan" of "irredentism" – a approach of retaking lost territory.

Government spokespeople warned on mid-September that attempts to validate "obvious provocation" would have serious consequences for Ethiopia and its neighbouring countries and is a "redline that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Security Activities on the Ground

There have been no reports of significant troop deployments in the boundary zones between the two countries.

Nonetheless, in Ethiopia, state television has shown completion events of many recruits at different defense facilities.

The head of personnel division of the armed forces, General Hachalu, stated recently in an interview that the army was in a "reliable position" as "many thousands of youths" were enlisting, which he said was "a message to our opponents".

Past Background of the Conflict

For more than half a century from 1890, Eritrea was ruled by Italian colonisers.

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

However in 1962 the ruler ended this arrangement and Eritrea became completely integrated into the Ethiopian state.

A thirty-year civil war occurred, ending with the government's loss in 1991. Autonomy was then approved by voters 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 disagreed over the specific demarcation of their shared boundary, resulting in war in 1998.

Although this finished in a ceasefire agreement in 2000, it was incompletely executed, and the both countries stayed at loggerheads.

This changed in 2018, when Abiy made overtures to Eritrean President the president. The both leaders endorsed a statement that the hostilities was concluded – a decision that gained Abiy the prestigious award.

The neighboring states were then cooperators in Ethiopia's previous civil war in the northern region.

However relations have later worsened once more.