Algeria closes its airspace to the UAE after severing diplomatic ties
Diplomatic relations are a fragile fabric, and tearing them rarely passes without consequences. When countries recall ambassadors and close their skies, it is not only political ambitions that suffer but also ordinary people whose plans become hostages of larger conflicts. Algeria and the UAE are entering a new phase of confrontation, and its echoes will be felt far beyond their borders.
On Thursday, Algeria announced it was closing its airspace to civil and military aircraft registered in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) starting Friday, following a decision to sever diplomatic relations with the UAE. Algeria’s Ministry of National Defence said in a statement that commercial civilian flights operating between the UAE and Houari Boumediene International Airport in Algiers are exempt from the requirement and will be allowed until the end of 2026, when the contract expires.
Earlier on Thursday, Algeria announced the severance of diplomatic relations with the UAE after it had “exhausted all possibilities” for maintaining ties. Citing a foreign ministry statement, the official state news agency Algeria Press Service (APS) said Algeria had shown “great restraint and a high sense of responsibility” in response to what it called increasingly “provocative or hostile actions” by the UAE.
“Despite repeated warnings and calls on the UAE to reflect on the serious consequences” of its behaviour, the ministry statement said, the UAE continued actions that reached “the limits of what is permissible or tolerable.” The ministry said the UAE ambassador was summoned to its headquarters on Thursday and officially notified of the decision, receiving a 48-hour deadline to comply. Although the reason for the severance remains unclear, Algerian media have previously accused the UAE of seeking to inflame regional tensions.
As reported by CCTV+, the closure of airspace and the severance of diplomatic relations between Algeria and the UAE have become a notable event in regional politics. Although commercial flights between the two countries are temporarily preserved, the escalation of tensions could have long-term consequences for regional stability and cooperation.
