Algeria severs diplomatic relations with UAE, cites ‘provocative or hostile’ actions

ALGIERS, Sep 10: Algeria has severed diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates, accusing Abu Dhabi of pursuing a series of “provocative or hostile actions” and saying it had exhausted all avenues to preserve bilateral ties.

The Algerian Foreign Ministry announced the decision on Thursday, saying Algiers had exercised a “high degree of restraint” and a “strong sense of responsibility” in dealing with the growing tensions between the two countries.

The UAE ambassador was formally notified of the decision and given 48 hours to comply, according to the Algerian statement.

“After exhausting all avenues to preserve bilateral relations, the Algerian government decided today to sever diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates,” the ministry said.

Algeria said it had repeatedly warned the UAE about the consequences of what it described as “regrettable and unjustified conduct,” but claimed that the actions continued to a point where they could no longer be considered acceptable within relations between two sovereign states.

The UAE did not immediately issue a direct response to Algeria’s announcement. However, UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash said diplomacy should be based on “rationality, communication and clarity of interests,” rather than statements requiring interpretation.

Relations between Algiers and Abu Dhabi have deteriorated in recent years, with the two countries taking opposing positions on several regional issues, including Western Sahara, where the UAE supports Morocco’s position while Algeria backs the Polisario Front.

The countries also differ over Israel. Algeria opposes normalization with Israel, while the UAE established diplomatic relations with Israel in 2020 under the US-brokered Abraham Accords. Their interests have also increasingly intersected in the Sahel region.

In October last year, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune said Algeria’s relations with Gulf states were warm except with one country, in an apparent reference to the UAE. He described ties with Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar as “brotherly.”

Tebboune had also said at the time that a diplomatic break with the unnamed country “would have happened long ago” if Algeria had not sought to avoid deepening divisions in the Arab world.

The latest move marks a major escalation in the relationship between the two Arab states.