🔗 Share this article

Increasing concerns have emerged about the chance of military engagement among East African countries, Ethiopia and the Eritrean government, as confrontational language has escalated in the past few weeks.

What Did Ethiopia Declared?

Landlocked Ethiopia's requests for access to the sea coast through Eritrean territory has sparked a heated war of words.

Ethiopian Prime Minister initially stated publicly in 2023 that his government's access to the sea was an vital issue, comments that Eritrea ignored.

Relations between the neighboring nations have often been tense. Following a prolonged struggle for freedom, the Eritrean state, which has a extensive sea border, legally broke away from Ethiopian rule in 1993, rendering it landlocked.

Subsequently, a border war broke out in which more than 100,000 people lost their lives.

Current Comments from Ethiopian Leadership

Abiy and military leader General Birhanu Jula have publicly asserted sovereignty of Eritrea's maritime facility of the port of Assab – approximately 60 kilometers from the boundary - and suggested the wish to take it by force.

On 1 September, Abiy said Ethiopia's "blunder" of being denied passage to the sea as a result of Eritrea's separation would be "addressed tomorrow".

Ethiopia's ambassador to Kenya, former General Bacha Debele, said that Assab was "Ethiopia's wealth" and would be returned "using武力".

Eritrean Reaction to the Claims

Despite ongoing threats from Ethiopia, Asmara's position has been limited to brief comments on X from Information Minister the minister.

He has rejected Ethiopia's push for sea access labeling it "risky" and a "negative policy" of "territorial claims" – a strategy of retaking previous domains.

The information ministry alerted on mid-September that attempts to legitimise "obvious provocation" would have major implications for the Ethiopian government and its regional partners and is a "redline that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Military Activities on the Ground

Currently, there are no reports of significant troop deployments in the frontier regions between the neighboring states.

Nevertheless, in the country, national TV has shown completion events of many recruits at various military training camps.

The director of staff section of the military, the officer, commented lately in an conversation that the military was in a "secure situation" as "many thousands of young people" were entering service, which he said was "a signal to our opponents".

Historical Origins of the Tension

For decades from the late 19th century, the territory was administered by Italian rulers.

After Italy's defeat, it was then managed by the UK forces before turning into a associated territory of Ethiopia.

However in 1962 Emperor Haile Selassie I ended this arrangement and the region became totally absorbed into Ethiopia.

A three-decade long civil war ensued, concluding with the government's loss in 1991. Sovereignty was then approved by voters in a plebiscite in 1993.

Temporarily in the 1990s, there were good relations between the leadership in Addis Ababa and Asmara, but they clashed over the specific demarcation of their mutual frontier, leading to hostilities in 1998.

Even though this finished in a truce in 2000, it was never fully implemented, and the both countries stayed at odds.

This changed in 2018, when Abiy made overtures to Eritrean President President Isaias. The both leaders agreed to a statement that the conflict was concluded – a move that gained the Prime Minister the prestigious award.

The both administrations were then cooperators in the country's previous internal conflict in the northern region.

However diplomatic connections have since broken down once more.