Algeria Moves to End UAE Flight Deal

Algeria has started the steps needed to end a flight agreement it signed with the United Arab Emirates in 2013. The decision was announced by state media on Saturday, but officials did not explain why the country is withdrawing. The agreement, signed in Abu Dhabi and confirmed by a presidential decree in December 2014, allowed airlines from both nations to operate flights between them. To cancel it, Algeria must formally inform the UAE through diplomatic channels and notify the International Civil Aviation Organization.The UAE has not yet responded to the news. Last October, Algeria’s president said that its ties with Gulf countries were friendly except for one unnamed state. He accused this country of interfering in Algeria’s internal matters and trying to destabilize it, hinting at the UAE. The move comes after Algerian media have criticized the UAE for stirring regional tensions in recent months.