Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune met Saudi Arabia’s interior minister Abdulaziz bin Saud in Algiers on Monday, with the two sides discussing bilateral relations and security cooperation.
The Saudi minister conveyed greetings from King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, along with wishes for continued progress and prosperity for Algeria and its people, Asharq Al-Awsat reported.
The meeting comes against the backdrop of growing conflict between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, with the two kingdoms looking to forge competing blocs across north and east Africa.
Having been close allies for years, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have increasingly diverged over regional policy, with their rift exposed in Yemen and Sudan, where they support opposing factions.
Algeria is part of this, with media outlet El-Khabar reporting that Algeria could sever diplomatic relations with the UAE because of actions it considers to be destabilising and “hostile” to its national unity and Arab interests in general.
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In recent years, Algerian authorities have voiced their opposition to the perceived harmful role of the UAE, without explicitly naming it, citing destabilisation manoeuvres, interference and positions contrary to collective Arab interests.
Official circles in Algeria have repeatedly accused the UAE’s embassy of “suspicious moves” and its ambassador of being “on a mission to destabilise” the country.
The UAE is specifically accused of supporting the Paris-based Movement for the Self-Determination of Kabylie (MAK), a separatist group that 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.
Both Saudi Arabia and the UAE have been forging new regional and global partnerships, often in opposing camps.
While Saudi Arabia has signed a defence agreement with Pakistan, the UAE on Monday agreed to deepen defence and trade ties with India.