A new escalation is underway in relations between Algeria and the United Arab Emirates. After announcing the severing of diplomatic relations with Abu Dhabi, Algiers has decided to take another step by closing its airspace to Emirati military and civilian aircraft.
For several years, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and his army chief, who are in need of psychiatric and geriatric care, have accused the United Arab Emirates of playing a destabilizing role in several regional crises, particularly in Mali, Libya and Sudan. He even recently went so far as to declare: “Wherever they set foot, blood flows,” describing the UAE as a “tiny state” with a “very negative impact.”
The measure, announced Thursday by the Algerian Ministry of Defense, is due to take effect at midnight local time, or 11 p.m. GMT. One exception, however, remains in place: Emirati commercial flights departing from or arriving at Algiers International Airport will be allowed to continue operating until the end of 2026.
The decision comes just hours after the announcement of the diplomatic break with the UAE. Algiers says it has exhausted “all avenues to preserve bilateral relations” and accuses Abu Dhabi of “provocative actions.” The Emirati ambassador was summoned to be formally notified of the decision and given 48 hours to comply.
In response to Algeria’s diplomatic offensive, the United Arab Emirates adopted a considerably more measured tone. In a message posted on X, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it hoped that the break announced by Algiers would remain “temporary.”
According to Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, the diplomatic break could have occurred long ago, but Algiers had until now sought to avoid further fueling divisions within the Arab world.
This new crisis comes as Algerian diplomacy is displaying deep disagreements with several Arab capitals. One of the main points of contention concerns the normalization of relations with Israel, which has been pursued by several countries in the region, including the United Arab Emirates.
The diplomatic break with Abu Dhabi and the closure of Algerian airspace therefore represent a spectacular hardening of Algeria’s position. Beyond the confrontation with the UAE, this new crisis is likely above all to further intensify Algiers’ diplomatic tensions with several Arab partners and reinforce the image of an Algerian foreign policy increasingly inclined toward confrontation and antisemitism directed against Jews, the State of Israel, European countries and the United States.