Algeria officially severed diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates on Thursday, escalating a long-running geopolitical dispute between the two North African and Middle Eastern powers. The move follows accusations from Algiers that Abu Dhabi has been engaged in “provocative and hostile acts” aimed at undermining regional stability.
The Algerian Defense Ministry announced that its airspace would be closed to all UAE aircraft starting Friday. Commercial flights operating between the two nations will be permitted to continue through the end of 2026, providing a transitional window for travel and logistics.
The deterioration of relations has been building for years, primarily driven by the UAE’s expanding political and military influence across northern and western Africa. Algeria’s Foreign Ministry stated that the decision to break ties came only after “all avenues to preserve bilateral relations” had been exhausted. It added that Abu Dhabi had “persisted in its actions, reaching a point where they could no longer be considered acceptable or tolerable.”
Under the new measures, the Emirati ambassador to Algeria has been given 48 hours to comply with the shutdown of diplomatic channels. The UAE’s Foreign Ministry responded by expressing hope that the rift would be temporary, emphasizing its desire to preserve “fraternal ties between the two brotherly peoples.” The statement also highlighted the significance of the Algerian diaspora in the UAE and the strong visitor links between the nations.
Despite the diplomatic fallout, Anwar Gargash, a senior diplomatic advisor to UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, took to the social media platform X to suggest that international relations should be grounded in “rationality, communication and clarity of interests,” rather than “riddles and signals that require decoding.” He did not name Algeria directly in his post.
Tensions have previously centered on allegations that the UAE supports destabilizing forces in the region. Algeria has accused Abu Dhabi of backing the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group during Sudan’s civil war—an accusation the UAE denies. Additionally, the UAE has been a key supporter of former warlord Khalifa Haftar and his Tobruk-based administration in eastern Libya, which stands in opposition to the UN-recognized government in Tripoli.
In July, Algerian President Abdelmajid Tebboune strongly criticized the UAE’s regional footprint, telling reporters, “wherever they set foot, blood flows.” He urged the Gulf state to stay away, adding, “We want them to stay away, so that blood does not flow in our country.”
The break in ties comes nearly five years after Algeria severed diplomatic relations with neighboring Morocco in 2021. That dispute was fueled by accusations that Rabat supported Amazigh separatists in Algeria’s Kabylia region and by ongoing tensions over the status of Western Sahara.
Wait, commercial flights are still allowed until 2026? That’s a strange hybrid approach to a full diplomatic breakup.
I’m skeptical about the ‘temporary’ rift claim. These accusations go back years and feel deeply entrenched now.
This is huge. The airspace closure will definitely disrupt travel for thousands of people this holiday season.