<\/p>\n
Algeria also closed national airspace to the UAE, accusing Abu Dhabi of \u201cprovocative and hostile\u201d actions and interference in Libya, Sudan and Mali.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The UAE reportedly expressed hope that the decision would be temporary and reaffirmed a commitment to protecting shared interests and ties between Algerian and Emirati citizens.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Middle East Africa Research Institute Research Fellow Kenneth Kgwadi described Algeria\u2019s allegations as serious but said similar accusations had previously been directed at the UAE. \u201cIt is not the first time that the UAE is facing the same accusations by different countries,\u201d Kgwadi said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kgwadi linked the diplomatic rupture to wider regional rivalries, particularly longstanding tensions between Algeria and Morocco over Western Sahara. \u201cWe cannot separate this conflict between Algeria and the UAE from what is happening between Morocco and Algeria,\u201d Kgwadi said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kgwadi said Morocco\u2019s closer relationships with several Middle Eastern countries had contributed to Algeria\u2019s growing unease. Expanding UAE investment, trade and political influence across Africa had added to the tensions.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Allegations that the UAE supported the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan with funding and weapons in exchange for access to mineral resources had also caused concern, Kgwadi said. The UAE has rejected accusations of supporting the conflict.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The immediate effect on trade and investment between Algeria and the UAE could remain limited, although Algerian citizens living in or travelling to the UAE may face uncertainty. \u201cThere\u2019s not much impact in terms of what is going to happen between Algeria and the UAE,\u201d Kgwadi said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
However, Kgwadi expressed little confidence that diplomatic relations would be restored quickly because the disagreement extended beyond bilateral diplomacy. \u201cThese are not just diplomatic differences. These are ideological and geopolitical differences,\u201d Kgwadi said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Repairing relations would require the countries to confront wider regional disputes, including Western Sahara and competing partnerships involving Morocco.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kgwadi said ordinary citizens and countries with economic or political ties to Algeria and the UAE could bear the greatest cost of the breakdown. \u201cIt does not really help anyone, I don\u2019t think, in the Middle East as well as in Africa,\u201d Kgwadi said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
–ChannelAfrica–<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":38929,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"news-type":[26],"class_list":["post-45257","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-type-general_news","entry"],"acf":{"short_description":"Algeria\u2019s decision to sever diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) could deepen geopolitical divisions across North Africa and the Sahel, a political analyst has warned.","published_date":"","news_description":"Algeria\u2019s decision to sever diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) could deepen geopolitical divisions across North Africa and the Sahel, a political analyst has warned.","form_embed":"","author":"","image_caption":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/45257","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/45257\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":45258,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/45257\/revisions\/45258"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/38929"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45257"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"news-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-type?post=45257"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}