Rising War of Words Among Ethiopia and Eritrea Triggers Fears of Armed Clash

Increasing worries exist about the possibility of warfare among East African countries, the Ethiopian government and Eritrea, as aggressive discourse has escalated in the past few weeks.

What Has Ethiopia Stated?

Landlocked Ethiopia's demands for entry to the maritime outlet through Eritrean territory has sparked a heated verbal exchange.

Ethiopian Prime Minister first openly declared in the previous year that his government's sea access was an vital issue, remarks that Eritrea rejected.

Ties between the neighboring nations have often been tense. After a prolonged fight for sovereignty, the Eritrean state, which has a extensive maritime frontage, legally broke away from Ethiopian rule in the early 1990s, rendering it without sea access.

Five years later, a military clash broke out in which numerous people were killed.

Current Comments from Ethiopia's Leadership

Prime Minister Abiy and army chief the army commander have openly claimed control of Eritrean coastal city of Assab – about 60km from the border - and suggested the wish to seize it militarily.

In early September, the Prime Minister said the country's "mistake" of being denied passage to the sea as a result of Eritrea's separation would be "rectified tomorrow".

Ethiopia's ambassador to neighboring Kenya, former General Bacha Debele, said that the port was "belonging to Ethiopia" and would be returned "through military action".

Eritrea's Answer to the Statements

In the face of ongoing threats from Ethiopia, Eritrea's reaction has been restricted to brief comments on online platforms from Communications Head Yemane G..

The minister has dismissed Ethiopia's push for access to the Red Sea calling it "dangerous" and a "negative policy" of "expansionism" – a approach of retaking former lands.

Government spokespeople cautioned on recently that efforts to justify "flagrant aggression" would have significant repercussions for Ethiopia and its neighbors and is a "limit that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Military Preparations on the Region

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

Nevertheless, in Ethiopia, state television has displayed training completions of thousands of cadets at different defense facilities.

The head of human resources department of the military, General Hachalu, recently said in an interview that the army was in a "reliable position" as "tens of thousands of recruits" were entering service, which he said was "a signal to our adversaries".

Previous Roots of the Conflict

For over fifty years from the late 19th century, Eritrea was administered by colonial powers.

Following World War II, it was then administered by the UK forces before turning into a federated part of Ethiopia.

But in 1962 Emperor Haile Selassie I cancelled this agreement and the region became totally absorbed into the Ethiopian state.

A extended internal conflict occurred, finishing with military reversal in 1991. Sovereignty was then endorsed by voters in a vote in 1993.

For a few years in the 1990s, there were positive ties between the authorities in Ethiopia's capital and Eritrea's capital, but they disagreed over the exact location of their mutual frontier, leading to conflict in 1998.

Though this concluded in a ceasefire agreement in 2000, it was incompletely executed, and the neighbors continued at loggerheads.

This situation improved in 2018, when Abiy made overtures to Eritrean President President Isaias. The both leaders agreed to a declaration that the war was concluded – a move that gained Abiy the international recognition.

The two governments were then partners in Ethiopia's recent internal conflict in Tigray.

However relations have since broken down again.