Reports: Algeria weighs severing ties with UAE

ALGIERS – Reports emerging from Algerian media outlets close to the government have raised the prospect of a dramatic rupture in diplomatic relations between Algeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The potential break comes amid accusations that Abu Dhabi is engaging in "hostile" activities, including suspected support for the Movement for the Autonomy of Kabylia (MAK), a separatist group designated as a terrorist organization by Algerian authorities.

The speculation was fueled by a recent article in El-Khabar, a newspaper widely regarded as aligned with Algerian official circles.

The publication posed the question bluntly: "Will Algeria sever its diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates?" It suggested that an answer could emerge "in the coming days," citing Algeria's "deep dissatisfaction" with practices described as hostile and disconnected from "Arab brotherhood, historical relations, or shared destiny."

At the heart of the allegations is the UAE's purported backing of the MAK, a Paris-based movement advocating for self-determination in Algeria's predominantly Amazigh (Berber) Kabylia region.

Algerian officials view any external engagement with the MAK as a direct threat to national unity and sovereignty – a red line that has previously led to severed ties with other nations, such as Morocco in 2021.

The article in El-Khabar warned that continued "conspiracy-minded" policies from the UAE could push bilateral relations to "a point of no return, including the possibility of a definitive diplomatic break." It also noted reports that the UAE ambassador in Algiers has become persona non grata, with Algerian entities reportedly ceasing all dealings with him.

Tensions between Algiers and Abu Dhabi are not new but have intensified in recent years.

Algeria has accused the UAE of destabilizing activities in neighbouring countries like Libya, Mali, and Sudan, often through financial support for factions opposed to Algerian interests.

Algeria's staunch opposition to the Abraham Accords, which the UAE signed in 2020, has been a major irritant. Algiers views normalization as a betrayal of the Palestinian cause.

The UAE's close alliance with Morocco, including investments and diplomatic backing on issues like Western Sahara, has further alienated Algeria, which supports the separatist Polisario Front.

President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has repeatedly alluded to these grievances without always naming the UAE directly, once stating that Algeria maintains "wonderful relations with all fraternal Gulf countries – except one."

Neither the Algerian nor Emirati governments have issued official statements confirming or denying plans for a diplomatic severance.

The UAE has not publicly responded to the latest reports. However, the rhetoric from pro-government media suggests Algiers is signaling a firm stance against perceived interference.

Analysts note that Algeria has a history of using media leaks to test public reaction or pressure adversaries before taking formal steps.