Algeria could sever ties with UAE ‘in the coming days’ amid links to separatists Submitted by MEE staff on Wed, 01/07/2026 - 13:09 Newspaper close to Algerian government says Algiers appears to suspect Abu Dhabi of funding the MAK People wearing Movement for the Autonomy of Kabylia flags take part in a rally in Paris, 26 January 2025 (Bastien Ohier/Hans Lucas via Reuters) Off Algeria could sever its diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates in the near future due to actions it considers as destabilising and “hostile” to Algerian national unity and Arab interests in general, according to an Algerian media outlet. El-Khabar , a newspaper known to be close to the Algerian authorities, said the UAE is suspected of supporting Movement for the Autonomy of Kabylia (MAK), a separatist group designated a terrorist organisation by Algiers “The question of whether Algeria will sever its diplomatic relations with Abu Dhabi is being raised with increasing urgency,” el-Khabar wrote. “The answer will be revealed in the coming days, especially since Algeria is expressing deep dissatisfaction with practices that can be described, at the very least, as hostile and that have no connection whatsoever with Arab brotherhood, historical relations or shared destiny.” In a “clear message”, el-Khabar continued, "Algeria reaffirmed that its relations with the United Arab Emirates are not good, unlike those it maintains with other brotherly Arab countries. “According to informed sources, this is due to Emirati actions that are neither based on consultation nor Arab consensus, but which endanger the interests of the Arab nation and serve agendas of fragmentation that benefit only its enemies.” 'Algeria reaffirmed that its relations with the United Arab Emirates are not good, unlike those it maintains with other brotherly Arab countries' - el-Khabar newspaper In recent years, Algerian authorities have voiced their opposition to the perceived harmful role of the Gulf state, without explicitly naming it, citing destabilisation manoeuvres, interference and positions contrary to collective Arab interests. Last October, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune made a thinly veiled criticism of Abu Dhabi before a room of the country’s most powerful military leaders, saying: “Why are you interfering in our internal issues?” “The problem starts when someone comes and messes with you in your own home, with suspicious motivations. Getting involved in issues we don’t allow even great powers to get involved in […] We have wonderful relations with all the fraternal Gulf countries - except one,” Tebboune said. Meanwhile, official circles in Algeria have repeatedly accused the UAE embassy of "suspicious moves" and its ambassador of being "on a mission to destabilise" the country. In a previously article , el-Khabar indicated that the UAE ambassador to Algeria had become persona non grata and was no longer being dealt with by any Algerian entity. Support for separatists The UAE is particularly accused of supporting the Paris-based MAK, which calls for independence for Algeria's predominantly Amazigh Kabylia region in the north of the country. According to reports , the UAE has established communications with the MAK, which is also supported by Israel and Morocco . “Available data indicates an Emirati role aimed at destabilising the region, through support for subversive Algerian elements used as conduits for malicious propaganda and the dissemination of disinformation, as well as through interventions with European capitals to facilitate their stay,” said el-Khabar. According to the newspaper, “official information” indicates ongoing investigations in France concerning the financing of the MAK. As the UAE expands military footprint in Africa, Algeria draws line in the sand Read More » In December, some Algerian platforms reported the opening of a judicial investigation by the French National Financial Prosecutor’s Office into suspicious transfers of millions of euros to MAK leaders via a non-profit cultural association. This does not appear to have been covered by the French media. “Added to this are the ongoing investigations in France concerning the financing of the MAK terrorist movement, reinforcing suspicions of the existence of external support networks (Zionist, Emirati and Moroccan) working toward separatist projects that threaten national unity, as has been observed in Somalia, Yemen, Sudan, Libya and Syria,” el-Khabar notes. The UAE backs insurgencies and separatist movements in various countries in the Middle East and Africa. In Libya , the UAE arms and funds eastern commander Khalifa Haftar, and in Sudan , Abu Dhabi supports the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has been accused of genocide and massacres. In Yemen , the UAE’s support for the Southern Transitional Council (STC) has recently seen growing tensions with Saudi Arabia . Riyadh has for the first time directly called out Abu Dhabi’s role in backing Yemeni separatist forces and bombed an Emirati shipment in southern Yemen. More broadly, Algeria is concerned about the growing military presence of the UAE across the African continent, as well as its support for its rival Morocco and the development of its relations with Israel , which Algiers vehemently opposes as a historical supporter of the Palestinian cause. According to el-Khabar, “Tebboune stressed that national sovereignty is a red line and that repeated provocations, without naming the countries involved, will not go unanswered”. The outlet concludes: "Algeria harbours no hostility toward anyone, but it warns that the continuation of the United Arab Emirates' 'conspiracy-minded' policies could lead bilateral relations to a point of no return, including the possibility of a definitive diplomatic break." Diplomacy News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0