Even a broken clock is right twice a day. Algeria cutting ties with the UAE is one of those rare moments.
The UAE’s decade-long record speaks for itself: Support for the 2013 military coup against Egypt’s democracy, massive post-coup financial support to Sissi’s military regime, funding counter-revolutionary parties and figures in Tunisia; support for Khalifa Haftar and his militia, and using Libya used as a transit/training hub for Sudan’s genocidal RSF (mercenaries, weapons, fuel); funding of military campaigns and use of Western mercenaries in Yemen, killing thousands of civilians; building military bases and ports in Somaliland and using them as conflict logistics (support for Sudan’s RSF, access points for Israel, transfer of gold from mines in Darfur into UAE gold markets); funding and arming mercenaries and chequebook diplomacy across the Sahel; smear campaigns and surveillance operations against Muslims in Europe and financing various European far-right parties and figures; support for secessionist and pro Zionist MAK movement; and – last but not least – conspiring against the Palestinian resistance and supporting the Zionist regime as well as lobbying regional states for normalising with it.
While this diplomatic move by the Algerian regime was necessary, it should go beyond the mere “announcement effect” policies that have become the regime’s rhetoric to quench public anger and hide its lack of meaningful actions (that was noticed again during the deadly fires that hit the country recently). The regime should explain why :
- DP World, a UAE-owned global marine terminal operator, still holds an operating concession at the Port of Algiers, now known as DP World Djazair. This port handles over 60% of Algeria’s external trade;
- UAE’s Aabar Investments holds a 49% stake in a venture with the Algerian military on assembling Mercedes-Benz trucks and military vehicles in Algeria.
These are major issues for Algeria’s national security. Actions should match words!