Escalating War of Words Involving Ethiopia and Eritrean Government Triggers Fears of Conflict

Mounting worries have emerged over the chance of warfare between East African neighbours, Ethiopia and the Eritrean government, as aggressive discourse has ratcheted up in the last month.

What Did Ethiopia Stated?

Ethiopia's, being landlocked, calls for entry to the sea coast through Eritrea has provoked a fierce rhetorical conflict.

Ethiopian Prime Minister initially stated publicly in last year that his government's maritime access was an vital issue, statements that Eritrea rejected.

Diplomatic connections between the two countries have frequently been strained. After a prolonged struggle for freedom, Eritrea, which has a extensive maritime frontage, legally broke away from Ethiopia in the early 1990s, leaving it cut off from the sea.

In 1998, a border war erupted in which numerous people were killed.

Current Statements from Ethiopia's Leadership

Prime Minister Abiy and army chief Field Marshal Birhanu Jula have openly claimed ownership of Eritrean coastal city of Assab – some 60 km from the boundary - and hinted at the wish to seize it militarily.

In early September, Abiy said Ethiopia's "blunder" of losing access to the sea as a due to Eritrea secession would be "corrected soon".

The Ethiopian envoy to neighboring Kenya, retired Gen Bacha Debele, said that the port was "Ethiopia's wealth" and would be restored "by force".

Eritrean Response to the Claims

Amid continuous challenges from Ethiopia, Asmara's position has been limited to brief comments on social media from Communications Head Yemane Gebremeskel.

Officials have denied Ethiopia's push for access to the Red Sea labeling it "dangerous" and a "toxic agenda" of "expansionism" – a approach of retaking previous domains.

The information ministry warned on recently that attempts to justify "flagrant aggression" would have major implications for the Ethiopian government and its regional partners and is a "boundary that should not be crossed|violated|breached".

Military Movements on the Border

So far, there are little evidence of large-scale army activities in the boundary zones between the neighboring states.

Nevertheless, in the country, national TV has broadcast graduation ceremonies of many recruits at various military training camps.

The leader of staff section of the armed forces, General Hachalu, commented lately in an conversation that the army was in a "reliable position" as "many thousands of youths" were joining it, which he said was "a warning to our opponents".

Previous Background of the Dispute

For decades from 1890, Eritrea was administered by Italian rulers.

Following World War II, it was then administered by the British administration before evolving into a federated part of the Ethiopian empire.

However in 1962 the ruler terminated this arrangement and Eritrea became totally absorbed into Ethiopia.

A three-decade long internal conflict occurred, concluding with military reversal in the early 1990s. Sovereignty was then approved by the population in a plebiscite in 1993.

Temporarily in the 1990s, there were good relations between the governments in Ethiopia's capital and Eritrea's capital, but they fell out over the exact location of their mutual frontier, leading to conflict in 1998.

Although this concluded in a peace deal in 2000, it was incompletely executed, and the both countries stayed at odds.

This ended in 2018, when Abiy made gestures to Eritrea's leader President Isaias. The both leaders agreed to a statement that the hostilities was finished – a decision that won the Prime Minister the international recognition.

The neighboring states were then partners in the country's previous civil war in the northern region.

But relations have since broken down again.