On 10 September, Algeria severed diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates, citing «provocative or hostile» actions by Abu Dhabi. The country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that it had exhausted all possibilities for maintaining bilateral relations. The UAE ambassador was summoned to the ministry and given a 48-hour deadline to comply with the decision.
Briefly about the main points
- Algeria has announced that it is severing diplomatic relations with the UAE.
- The Foreign Ministry described Abu Dhabi’s actions as unacceptable and hostile.
- The Emirati ambassador was summoned to the ministry and given a deadline of 48 hours.
- The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not provide an immediate official response.
- The disputes over Western Sahara and Israel provided the backdrop to the tensions.
Algeria did not specify a particular reason
The Algerian Foreign Ministry stated that the UAE’s actions had crossed a line beyond which they could no longer be considered acceptable or tolerable. The ministry described them as «provocative or hostile», but did not provide a list of incidents or a specific action that served as the immediate cause for the decision.
The statement also said that Algeria had exhausted all means of preserving bilateral relations. Previously, the Algerian media had sharply criticised the Emirates, accusing them of attempting to sow regional discord.
Gargash posted a message following Algeria’s decision
The Algerian side informed the UAE ambassador of the decision during a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The UAE’s foreign ministry did not provide an immediate comment.
Diplomatic Adviser to the President of the UAE Anvar Gargash Following the announcement, he wrote on X that relations between states should be based on rationality, communication and clarity of interests, rather than on «riddles and signals that need to be deciphered». He did not mention Algeria by name, nor did he link the post to Algeria’s decision.
Disagreements over Israel and Western Sahara
The countries hold opposing views on several regional issues. Algeria opposes the normalisation of relations with Israel, whilst the UAE established diplomatic ties with it as part of the US-brokered Abraham Accords of 2020.
The Emirates also support Morocco’s claims to sovereignty over Western Sahara, whilst Algeria backs the Polisario Front, which is seeking independence for the territory. The UAE has opened a consulate in El Aaiun, located in the Moroccan-controlled part of Western Sahara. These differences have formed the political backdrop, but Algeria has not cited them as the reason for its latest move.
Tensions had been building over bilateral issues
The interests of the two countries are increasingly converging in the Sahel, where the UAE has been expanding its ties with several governments in recent years. At the same time, Algeria’s relations with some of its southern neighbours have become strained following a series of military coups in the region.
Last year, the President Abdelmadjid Tebboune He stated that Algeria’s relations with all the Gulf states were cordial, with the exception of one. He accused the unnamed state of interfering in Algeria’s internal affairs and attempting to destabilise the country.
In February, Algeria initiated proceedings to terminate the air services agreement with the UAE, signed in Abu Dhabi in May 2013. This move can be seen as an early practical manifestation of tensions in bilateral relations.
