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Mounting concerns are present over the possibility of warfare between East African neighbours, the Ethiopian government and Eritrea, as confrontational language has ratcheted up in the past few weeks.

What Has Ethiopia Stated?

Ethiopia's, being landlocked, demands for entry to the sea coast through Eritrea has sparked a intense verbal exchange.

Ethiopian Prime Minister initially stated publicly in last year that his government's sea access was an existential matter, remarks that Eritrea dismissed.

Diplomatic connections between the neighboring nations have often been tense. Following a long-standing fight for sovereignty, Eritrea, which has a 1,350km (840-mile) Red Sea coastline, formally separated from Ethiopian rule in the early 1990s, rendering it landlocked.

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

Current Statements from Ethiopian Government

Prime Minister Abiy and army chief the army commander have directly stated ownership of Eritrean coastal city of the port of Assab – some 60 km from the frontier - and suggested the wish to take it by force.

In early September, Abiy said Ethiopia's "error" of being denied passage to the sea as a result of Eritrea's separation would be "addressed in the future".

Ethiopia's ambassador to neighboring Kenya, retired Gen Bacha Debele, said that Assab was "Ethiopia's wealth" and would be returned "through military action".

Eritrea's Response to the Claims

In the face of persistent threats from Ethiopian officials, Asmara's position has been limited to brief comments on online platforms from Information Minister the minister.

He has rejected Ethiopian requests for maritime entry labeling it "dangerous" and a "toxic agenda" of "territorial claims" – a approach of reclaiming lost territory.

Eritrean authorities warned on 16 September that moves to legitimise "obvious provocation" would have major implications for the Ethiopian government and its regional partners and is a "boundary that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Security Movements on the Region

There have been few indications of major military movements in the border areas between the two countries.

Nevertheless, in Ethiopia, state television has displayed graduation ceremonies of numerous trainees at different defense facilities.

The leader of human resources department of the military, General Hachalu, commented lately in an conversation that the army was in a "strong stance" as "tens of thousands of youths" were enlisting, which he said was "a signal to our enemies".

Past Origins of the Tension

For more than half a century from 1890, Eritrea was administered by colonial powers.

After the end of Italian rule, it was then administered by the UK forces before becoming a associated territory of Ethiopia.

However in the early 1960s the ruler cancelled this agreement and the region became completely integrated into the Ethiopian state.

A extended internal conflict followed, concluding with military reversal in the early 1990s. Sovereignty was then endorsed by Eritreans 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 fell out over the specific demarcation of their mutual frontier, leading to hostilities in 1998.

Though this ended in a ceasefire agreement in 2000, it was never fully implemented, and the two nations stayed at odds.

This ended in 2018, when the Prime Minister made approaches to Eritrea's leader President Isaias. The both leaders signed a declaration that the conflict was concluded – a action that won Abiy the prestigious award.

The neighboring states were then allies in the country's previous armed struggle in Tigray.

However relations have subsequently deteriorated anew.