At first the two countries got on well, but tensions grew over landlocked Ethiopia's rights to use the Eritrean port of Assab. Fighting broke out in May 1998 after a dispute over a chunk of land near the border town of Badme. Since then, a stalemate has been punctuated by set-piece battles that have left tens of thousands of people dead and displaced hundreds of thousands more. Both sides have used aircraft, including Sukhoi 27 fighters, MiG-29 interceptors and helicopter gunships. They have also employed rocket launchers and tanks.
Any future peace is likely to be strained.
At some point, they are likely to reopen discussions about Ethiopia's access to the sea. The old deal was worked out largely thanks to the friendship between Eritrean President Isaias Afewerki and Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, but goodwill between the two leaders disappeared long ago. In a stage-managed media event in Zalambessa last Friday, Ethiopian soldiers hoisted their flag and sang their national anthem.