Algeria says cutting diplomatic ties with UAE

What the report says

Algeria said on Thursday it has decided to cut diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates, saying Abu Dhabi carried out a series of actions it viewed as provocative or hostile despite repeated warnings. According to Algeria’s foreign ministry, the situation had reached a point where it could no longer be accepted and efforts to preserve the relationship had been exhausted. The ministry said the Emirati ambassador was summoned, informed of the decision and given 48 hours to comply.

Al Jazeera reported that there was no immediate public response from the UAE. The move comes after years of strained ties between Algiers and Abu Dhabi, which have often found themselves on opposite sides of regional disputes. Those differences include Algeria’s opposition to normalisation with Israel and the UAE’s support for Morocco’s 2020 diplomatic opening with Israel under the Abraham Accords.

The two countries are also divided over the Western Sahara issue: the UAE backs Morocco’s claim, while Algeria supports the Polisario Front, which seeks independence for the territory. The article also noted competing interests in the Sahel, where the UAE has expanded its regional ties and Algeria has faced tensions with some southern neighbours after military coups. President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has publicly criticised the UAE in recent months, underscoring the broader deterioration in relations.