Algeria has severed diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), citing what it described as increasingly provocative and hostile actions by the Gulf country.
Algeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the decision in a statement published on its official social media platforms on Thursday.
The ministry said the UAE had taken actions that crossed the limits of what Algeria considered acceptable in relations between two sovereign states.
Algeria Summons UAE Ambassador
Following the decision, Algeria summoned the UAE ambassador to its Foreign Ministry.
The ambassador was formally informed of the decision and given 48 hours to comply, according to the Algerian government.
The move represents a major deterioration in relations between Algeria and the UAE after years of growing disagreements over regional political issues.
UAE Official Responds to Diplomatic Break
UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash responded to the development in a post on X.
Gargash said diplomatic relations should be managed through “rationality, communication and clarity of interests.”
He also criticised what he described as “riddles and signals that require decoding.”
Although his statement appeared to address the diplomatic dispute, Gargash did not explicitly mention Algeria.
Western Sahara Dispute Fuels Tensions
The diplomatic crisis comes after years of disagreements between Algeria and the UAE over regional affairs.
One major point of contention has been Algeria’s opposition to the UAE’s normalisation of relations with Israel.
The two countries have also taken different positions on the Western Sahara dispute.
Algeria has rejected Morocco’s claim over the territory, while the UAE has supported Morocco’s position.
These differences have contributed to growing tensions between Algiers and Abu Dhabi.
Algeria-UAE Relations Enter New Phase
The decision to sever diplomatic relations marks a significant escalation in the relationship between the two countries.
It also highlights the wider diplomatic divisions surrounding regional issues in North Africa and the Middle East.
For now, Algeria’s decision places formal diplomatic ties with the UAE under a major strain, following years of increasingly difficult relations.
