Private Jets and Grand Promises: How Abu Dhabi Is Rallying Its Allies Against Algeria Copy link

Algeria Gate: The American political and strategic analyst Andrew Korybko delivered, from Moscow, an exclusive analysis to Algeria Gate on the day of the announcement of the rupture of diplomatic relations between Algeria and the United Arab Emirates, estimating that this decision had been expected for several years.

A “foreseeable” decision, according to the analyst

According to Andrew Korybko, Algeria’s decision to sever its relations with the United Arab Emirates is no surprise. He estimates that it was foreseeable for years and that it came after many strong signals sent by Algiers in this direction.

A rapprochement judged problematic with the “Morocco, France, and Israel” axis

The analyst advances that the Emirates would have drawn considerably closer to what he describes as an axis composed of Morocco, France, and Israel, countries that he presents as maintaining strained relations with Algeria and that, according to him, have tried to undermine its security and stability by various means over recent years.

The hypothesis of a “multilateral hybrid war”

In view of the gravity of this Algerian decision, Korybko advances a hypothesis: the direct trigger for the rupture could be the discovery, by the Algerian intelligence services, reputed for their effectiveness, of what he qualifies as “reliable evidence” of cooperation between the Emirates and these three countries, within the framework of a multilateral hybrid warfare campaign aimed at encircling Algeria on the political, economic, and military levels. It should be emphasized that this is a hypothesis formulated by the analyst himself, which has not been independently confirmed either by the Algerian authorities or by any other source.

A decline in the Emirates’ influence under Mohammed bin Zayed, according to Korybko

The analyst further estimates that the United Arab Emirates, which once enjoyed considerable influence and respect among Arab and Muslim countries, would have lost, under the leadership of Mohammed bin Zayed, a large part of this influence, becoming according to him largely unpopular because of their policies toward Sudan and Yemen, and to a lesser extent Somalia.

A strategic choice for Abu Dhabi, according to the analyst

Korybko concludes his analysis by estimating that the United Arab Emirates would now find itself facing a choice: either continue these policies, including their close relations with Morocco, Israel, and France, or see the circle of countries hostile to Abu Dhabi continue to widen.

Algeria Gate: Major global media outlets widely reported Algeria’s decision to sever diplomatic relations with the Emirates after exhausting all means capable of preserving the bilateral relations, which caused a media earthquake as major newspapers devoted analytical articles to Algeria’s sovereign and unprecedented decision in the Arab world.

Under the headline “Algeria announces the severance of its diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates,” the French newspaper Le Figaro commented on the Algerian sovereign decision by saying that Algeria, “which accuses Abu Dhabi of interfering in its affairs,” according to its description, announced “the severance of its diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates,” citing the announcement by Algerian television which confirmed that the rupture came after exhausting all means capable of preserving the bilateral relations.

It added that the decision came “after several years of tensions during which Algeria consistently accused Abu Dhabi of interfering in its affairs,” according to its claims.

For its part, the Qatari website Al Jazeera titled its article “Algeria announces the severance of diplomatic relations with the Emirates.” Al Jazeera recalled the statement of the Algerian Foreign Ministry, which affirmed that Algeria, “in the face of the increase in provocative or hostile actions emanating from the United Arab Emirates, showed a great deal of self-restraint and a high sense of responsibility and, proceeding from the spirit of full respect for the principles governing relations between states, spared no effort in drawing the attention of the Emirati side and warning it of the grave consequences that could result from its regrettable and unjustified behaviors.”

And after exhausting all means capable of preserving the bilateral relations, the Foreign Ministry adds, “the Algerian government decided, this day, to sever diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates.”

The Russian Al-Mujaz in turn commented with a tweet titled “Algeria announces the severance of diplomatic relations with the Emirates,” as did the newspaper Asharq for news, commenting on the decision by reporting the Algerian Foreign Ministry’s statement regarding the severance of diplomatic relations with Abu Dhabi.

The official Saudi News account on X wrote: “Algeria’s patience has run out,” pointing to a striking excerpt from the Algerian Foreign Ministry’s statement which stated: “We have shown a great deal of self-restraint and a high sense of responsibility in the face of the increase in provocative or hostile actions emanating from the United Arab Emirates.”

The Arabic Euronews newspaper highlighted that the decision came after months of deterioration in relations between the two countries, recalling that Algeria had begun in February 2026 procedures to terminate the air services agreement signed with Abu Dhabi in 2013, considering that the step reflected the escalation of the dispute between the two countries.

Algeria Gate: The day after the shock announcement of the rupture of diplomatic relations between Algeria and the United Arab Emirates, the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs detailed, in a communiqué, the motives that led to this unprecedented decision.

Exhausted restraint in the face of behaviors deemed hostile

According to the communiqué, Algeria states that it showed, in the face of the multiplication of behaviors it qualifies as provocative or hostile on the part of the United Arab Emirates, great restraint and a high sense of responsibility. The text specifies that, in a spirit of full respect for the principles governing relations between states, Algiers spared no effort to draw the attention of the Emirati side and warn it against the serious consequences to which these behaviors, judged regrettable and unjustified, could lead.

Despite these repeated warnings, the ministry continues, the United Arab Emirates continued to persist in these behaviors, to the point of reaching a threshold that Algeria now considers unacceptable and untenable within the framework of relations between two sovereign states, and which could not remain without a response.

A 48-hour ultimatum addressed to the Emirati ambassador

It is on this basis that the Algerian government announced, this Thursday, September 10, 2026, that it had decided to sever its diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates, after considering that it had exhausted all avenues likely to preserve the bilateral relations. According to the communiqué, the Emirati ambassador was received that same day at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he was officially notified of the content of this decision, as well as a 48-hour deadline to comply with it.

Algeria thus presents itself as the first Arab and Muslim country to sever its diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates.

A broader list of grievances circulated on social media

Beyond the official communiqué of the ministry, a series of more detailed grievances circulated widely on social media in the wake of this announcement, without all of these accusations being taken up word for word in the official communiqué. Among the elements put forward: attempts to spread chaos in Algeria, support and financing alleged for the Movement for the Self-Determination of Kabylie (MAK), classified as a terrorist organization by the Algerian authorities, attempts at interference in the country’s internal affairs and influence on the outcome of elections, military and financial support for Morocco in the context of its arms acquisitions from Israel, as well as attempts at destabilization on the country’s borders through the financing of militias and armed organizations in the Sahel region. Some of these publications also evoke the existence of informal coordination between the Emirates, France, Morocco, and Israel, as well as political and financial support for individuals wanted by Algerian justice.

It should be emphasized that this more extensive list of grievances, while circulating widely in the wake of the official announcement, has not been formally taken up, in these terms, by the communiqué of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and has not, at this stage, been the subject of independent verification.

Another element advanced by Algeria Gate

Another element, this time advanced by the site Algeria Gate, adds a further dimension to the account of this crisis. According to these sources, after a similar first operation carried out in Paris, Abu Dhabi would this time have mobilized intermediaries in Spain with the aim, according to the site, of coming to the aid of a businessman on the run, convicted by Algerian justice.

Still according to Algeria Gate, the Emirates would have tasked the businessman Nasser bin Thaaloub, presented as close to Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, advisor in charge of the Emirati national security apparatus, with providing direct support to a former Algerian businessman, sentenced in absentia to twenty years in prison in a corruption case. The mission entrusted to him would consist of deploying, in Spain, political, media, and financial lobbying aimed at obtaining the release of Ayoub Aissiou, presented by the site as a fugitive who embezzled Algerian public funds and despoiled citizens through fictitious real estate projects.

The website also evokes an Algerian response that would aim to be “without weakness” in the face of what it qualifies as hostile campaigns orchestrated from Abu Dhabi, and suggests that the diplomatic rupture could be accompanied by unprecedented economic sanctions targeting the presence of Emirati companies in Algeria.

These pieces of information, relayed by a single source, have to date been the subject of no official confirmation, neither on the Algerian side nor on the Emirati side, and must be read with the caution that is required in the face of accusations of this gravity targeting a person named by name.