Rabat – Algeria closes its airspace to all UAE-registered civilian and military aircraft starting Friday, September 11, following its decision to sever diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates.
The Algerian Defense Ministry says the airspace restrictions take effect at midnight on September 11 and apply to flights to and from Algeria.
The measure does not apply to UAE commercial passenger flights operating to and from Algiers’ Houari Boumediene International Airport. According to the ministry, these flights continue through the end of 2026, when the existing contract expires.
The decision comes after Algeria announced earlier Thursday that it is severing diplomatic relations with the UAE, citing what its Foreign Ministry describes as the exhaustion of all avenues to preserve bilateral ties.
Algiers accuses Abu Dhabi of increasingly engaging in “provocative or hostile” actions but does not provide specific details about the alleged conduct.
Algeria says it has repeatedly warned the UAE about the consequences of what it describes as “regrettable and unjustified” actions before deciding to end diplomatic relations.
The Algerian Foreign Ministry summons the UAE ambassador in Algiers and formally notifies him of the decision, giving him 48 hours to comply.
The UAE Foreign Ministry expresses its appreciation for its relations with all countries and its commitment to developing and strengthening them in a way that serves shared interests and promotes “understanding, cooperation and prosperity.”
The ministry says it hopes Algeria’s decision to sever diplomatic relations will be temporary and preserve the “fraternal ties between the two brotherly peoples.”
The UAE also reaffirms its commitment to maintaining relations with all countries in a manner that serves the interests of their peoples.
The diplomatic rupture comes amid years of tensions between Algiers and Abu Dhabi over regional issues and the UAE’s growing role in North Africa and the Sahel.
