Algeria will close airspace to military and civilian aircraft from the Emirates

A measure, announced by the Ministry of Defense, enters into force at midnight, local time (2300 GMT).

For the time being, the decision does not apply “to commercial flights from the Emirates from or to the international airport of Algiers, which will be maintained by the end of 2026”, according to the same source.

The United Arab Emirates, for its part, also said today that it was hoped that Algiers’ decision to break diplomatic relations with the federation would be “temporary”.

“ In reaction to the decision of the People’s Democratic Republic to break relations (...), the Emirates expect this decision to be temporary”, wrote the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on social network X.

Algeria decided to break diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates, today announced Algerian public television, after several years of tension, during which Algiers regularly accused Abu Dhabi of interfering in his affairs.

Algeria took this decision “after having exhausted all means that could preserve bilateral relations,” television said.

For the time being, the Algerian authorities have not spoken about the causes of the decision, although the Algerian media have been critical of Abu Dhabi, which in 2020 decided to establish diplomatic relations with Israel, a step forward by Morocco, for its role in the region.

The Algerian President, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, regularly accuses the UAE of carrying out destabilising action in several countries in the region.

“ Wherever they put their feet, runs blood,” he said recently in a television interview, qualifying the US as “minute state” with a “very negative impact.”.

“ All Algeria wants is for this state to go away, so that blood does not flow in our country,” he added, stating that Algiers just did not break diplomatic relations any longer “because he did not want to aggravate divisions between Arab countries”.