Algeria has sharply escalated its relations with the United Arab Emirates. Following the announcement of the severance of diplomatic relations, the country's authorities decided to close their airspace to civilian and military aircraft registered in the UAE. According to the Algerian Ministry of Defense, the new restrictions will come into effect on Friday. However, an exception will remain in place for commercial flights to and from Algiers until the end of the current year. Officially, Algeria explained the severance of relations as a result of "provocative and hostile actions" by the UAE. However, the authorities did not specify which particular events were the immediate cause for such a decision. An additional step was the demand for the UAE ambassador to leave the country within 48 hours. Relations between the two states have deteriorated over the past several years. Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has repeatedly publicly criticized the Emirati leadership, accusing it of interfering in the affairs of countries in the region. According to the Algerian leader, the UAE is trying to influence the situation in Libya, Mali, and Sudan. In one of his July interviews, Tebboune stated that "wherever they go, blood is shed." The basis of the conflict remains deep disagreements over several regional issues. Algeria and the UAE support different sides in the conflict over Western Sahara, hold opposing positions on the situation in Libya, and diverge in views on a number of other regional crises. Algeria also accuses the UAE of supporting the separatist movement in Kabylie. Another factor of tension was the UAE's decision in 2020 to normalize relations with Israel. In turn, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed regret over Algeria's decision. In a statement, the ministry said that Abu Dhabi hopes for the temporary nature of the crisis and looks forward to maintaining "brotherly relations" between the two states in the future. Closing airspace to another country's aircraft is one of the most severe diplomatic measures applied without the introduction of martial law. Such a decision complicates both state and business air travel and usually indicates a serious deterioration in bilateral relations.
