Algeria has announced it will sever diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates, accusing the UAE of "provocative or hostile" behaviour and ordering its ambassador to leave within 48 hours. The Algerian foreign ministry said it had exhausted all means to preserve ties but gave no specific incidents. The UAE has not issued a formal response, though adviser Anwar Gargash called for clear, rational diplomacy. The rift reflects long-standing differences over Israel normalisation and the Western Sahara dispute.
Algeria Severs Diplomatic Ties With UAE After 'Provocative' Actions — Ambassador Given 48 Hours
[BBC]
Algeria announced it is cutting diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates, accusing the Gulf state of taking what its foreign ministry described as "provocative or hostile" actions. The ministry said it had exhausted all means of preserving bilateral relations and summoned the UAE ambassador, ordering him to leave within 48 hours.
What the Foreign Ministry Said
The Algerian foreign ministry said it had made repeated efforts to engage the Emirati side and warned of the possible consequences of what it called regrettable and unjustified behaviour. The statement, carried by state media, gave no further public details about the incidents that prompted the decision.
"Algeria spared no effort to draw the Emirati side and warned it of the dire consequences that could result from its regrettable and unjustified behaviour," the ministry said.
UAE Response
There was no formal response from the UAE government at the time of Algeria's announcement. Anwar Gargash, the UAE president's diplomatic adviser, posted on X that diplomatic relations should not be conducted by "riddles and signals that require decoding" and stressed that "diplomatic relations are managed through rationality, communication and clarity of interests."
"Ambiguity is not a policy, and noise does not compensate for the absence of vision," Gargash wrote.
Broader Context
Observers note relations between Algeria and the UAE have steadily worsened in recent years amid a series of regional disputes. Key points of contention include Algeria's rejection of normalising ties with Israel — which the UAE and Morocco established under the US-brokered Abraham Accords — and opposing positions on Western Sahara: the UAE supports Morocco's claim, while Algeria backs the Polisario Front, which seeks independence for the Sahrawi people.
The diplomatic rupture marks a notable escalation between an influential North African state and a major Gulf actor and could have implications for regional alignments and diplomatic cooperation, though the immediate practical consequences remain unclear.
What We Know: Algeria announced a diplomatic break citing "provocative or hostile" acts; the UAE ambassador was summoned and ordered to depart within 48 hours; the UAE offered no formal response beyond public comments from a presidential adviser; no concrete incidents were detailed in the Algerian statement.
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