Algeria has officially severed diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates, according to Aljazeera. The foreign ministry announced the decision after stating that the UAE had engaged in a series of provocative or hostile
actions despite repeated warnings. The Algerian government stated that it had exhausted all means of preserving bilateral relations
and that the UAE’s actions had reached a point where they were no longer acceptable, reported France 24.
Algeria Severs Ties With UAE and Orders Ambassador Out
During the announcement, the Emirati ambassador was summoned to the ministry, informed of the decision, and given 48 hours to comply and leave the country, reported the Times of India. Later in the day, the Algerian defense ministry announced through Ennahar TV that the country would close its airspace to all UAE-registered civilian and military aircraft starting Friday. Commercial flights between Algiers and the UAE remain exempt until the current contract expires at the end of 2026.
UAE Response and International Reaction
The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement expressing hope that Algeria’s decision would be “temporary” and affirming the UAE’s appreciation for the brotherly Algerian people, noted BBC Arabic. The ministry emphasized Abu Dhabi’s pride in bonds connecting the two peoples, particularly highlighting Algerian visitors and the Algerian community residing within the UAE.
Anwar Gargash, a diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, posted on X that diplomatic relations should rely on rationality, communication and clarity of interests
rather than riddles and signals that require decoding
. Gargash did not explicitly mention Algeria by name in his comments.
Years of Mounting Regional Tensions
The formal diplomatic break follows years of growing strain and differing positions on multiple regional issues. In October 2025, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune accused an unnamed Gulf country of meddling in internal affairs and trying to destabilize the nation, remarks widely understood to target the UAE. Tensions escalated further in February 2026 when Algiers began procedures to cancel a 2013 air-services agreement.
President Tebboune has frequently criticized the UAE in public speeches, referring to it as a “micro-state” or “statelet” and accusing it of negative impacts in Libya, Mali, Sudan, and other regional nations. In a televised interview in July, Tebboune stated, Wherever they set foot, blood flows
and added, We want them to stay away, so that blood does not flow in our country.
Core Policy Divergences
The two nations have found themselves on opposite sides of several major geopolitical files:
- Western Sahara: Algeria backs the Polisario Front seeking an independent territory, whereas the UAE supports Morocco’s sovereignty claim and maintains a consulate there.
- Israel Normalization: The UAE established diplomatic ties with Israel under the 2020 Abraham Accords, while Algeria remains firmly opposed to normalization.
- The Sahel: Interests have increasingly crossed as the UAE expanded ties with several regional governments, while Algeria faced strained relations with southern neighbors following military coups.
- Media Disputes: Algerian state television previously denounced a hostile media campaign after UAE-based Sky News Arabia broadcasted an interview with historian Mohamed Amine Belghit regarding indigenous Amazigh culture.
