Algeria has officially severed its diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as announced by state television on Thursday. This decision comes in the wake of ongoing tensions between the two nations, which have escalated following Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s accusations of interference by Abu Dhabi in Algeria’s internal affairs.
State television reported that “Algeria has decided to cut its diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates after exhausting all means to preserve bilateral relations.”
Following this announcement, the Algerian Foreign Ministry released a statement confirming the decision. It read, “After exhausting all options to maintain bilateral relations, the Algerian government today decided to sever diplomatic ties with the United Arab Emirates.”
The statement further detailed that the Emirati ambassador was summoned to the Foreign Ministry on Thursday, where he was officially informed of the decision. He was given a 48-hour period to comply with this directive.
The statement also highlighted Algeria’s restraint in the face of “increasingly provocative or hostile actions from the United Arab Emirates.” It emphasised that Algeria had demonstrated significant self-control and responsibility, having made every effort to alert the UAE to the severe consequences that could arise from its unwarranted behaviours.
As of now, the UAE has not issued an official response to Algeria’s announcement. However, Anwar Gargash, the diplomatic advisor to the UAE President, took to the platform X to comment that, “Diplomatic relations are managed with reason, communication, and clarity of interests, not with enigmas and clues that need deciphering.”
Tensions Between the Two Countries
President Tebboune has previously alluded to the potential for cutting ties with Abu Dhabi, referring to the UAE as a “mini-state.” In a recent media statement in July, he noted, “We refer to it as a mini-state because its influence is very negative, and we have the evidence. Wherever they tread, blood is shed,” adding, “We want them to stay away from us to prevent bloodshed in our country.”
The rift between Algeria and Abu Dhabi has intensified since the start of Tebboune’s first presidential term in 2020. The Algerian Foreign Ministry has asserted that it issued “numerous warnings” to the UAE regarding what it termed “hostile actions,” but Abu Dhabi allegedly persisted in these behaviours, which crossed the line of acceptability.
Algerian media outlets linked to the government have accused the UAE of meddling in Algeria’s domestic issues and in neighbouring nations, particularly Libya and the Sahel region. Algerian state television alleged that the UAE orchestrated a media campaign through establishments it controls, including Sky News Arabia, especially following an interview with Algerian historian Mohamed El-Mini Bougleith, in which he described the Amazigh language as a “colonial Zionist project.”
Bougleith received a five-year prison sentence for undermining state symbols due to his remarks concerning Amazigh, which is a national language in Algeria, before being granted a presidential pardon at the end of 2025.