Rising War of Words Among Ethiopia and Eritrea Sparks Concerns of Military Confrontation

Growing concerns are present about the possibility of warfare involving East African countries, the Ethiopian government and Eritrea, as hostile discourse has intensified in recent weeks.

What Has Ethiopian Officials Stated?

Ethiopia's, being landlocked, demands for access to the Red Sea through Eritrea has triggered a heated rhetorical conflict.

PM Abiy Ahmed initially stated publicly in 2023 that his government's sea access was an crucial concern, statements that Eritrea ignored.

Relations between the neighboring nations have frequently been strained. Following a prolonged fight for sovereignty, Eritrea, which has a extensive maritime frontage, legally broke away from Ethiopian rule in the early 1990s, rendering it landlocked.

Subsequently, a border war broke out in which more than 100,000 people were killed.

Latest Remarks from Ethiopian Officials

Prime Minister Abiy and army chief Field Marshal Birhanu Jula have openly claimed control of Eritrea's southern port of the port of Assab – about 60km from the frontier - and implied the wish to take it by force.

On 1 September, Abiy said Ethiopia's "error" of losing access to the sea as a result of Eritrea secession would be "addressed tomorrow".

The Ethiopian envoy to Kenya, ex-military officer Bacha, said that the port was "belonging to Ethiopia" and would be given back "through military action".

Eritrea's Response to the Threats

Despite continuous challenges from Ethiopia, Eritrea's response has been confined to brief comments on online platforms from Communications Head Yemane Gebremeskel.

He has rejected Ethiopian requests for sea access calling it "dangerous" and a "harmful plan" of "territorial claims" – a strategy of claiming back lost territory.

The information ministry warned on 16 September that moves to legitimise "flagrant aggression" would have significant repercussions for the Ethiopian government and its regional partners and is a "limit that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Defense Preparations on the Region

Currently, there are no reports of major military movements in the frontier regions between the both nations.

Nevertheless, in Ethiopia, state television has displayed training completions of thousands of cadets at multiple army bases.

The leader of human resources department of the armed forces, the officer, recently said in an conversation that the defense forces was in a "strong stance" as "tens of thousands of young people" were enlisting, which he said was "a warning to our opponents".

Past Background of the Dispute

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

Following Italy's defeat, it was then controlled by the British military before becoming a integrated region of Ethiopia.

But in 1962 Emperor Haile Selassie I ended this system and Eritrea became totally absorbed into Ethiopia.

A three-decade long armed struggle ensued, concluding with military reversal in 1991. Independence was then confirmed by Eritreans in a referendum in 1993.

Briefly in the 1990s, there were friendly connections between the governments in Ethiopia's capital and Asmara, but they disagreed over the exact location of their common border, causing war in 1998.

Even though this concluded in a ceasefire agreement in 2000, it was incompletely executed, and the both countries remained at in dispute.

This situation improved in 2018, when the Prime Minister made approaches to Eritrea's leader President Isaias. The two signed a announcement that the war was finished – a move that earned Abiy the international recognition.

The both administrations were then partners in Ethiopia's previous armed struggle in the northern region.

However diplomatic connections have later worsened again.