Algeria and Mali move to normalize ties after diplomatic crisis

Algeria and Mali have mutually reinstated their ambassadors and opened their airspace to each other after a 14-month diplomatic crisis. The two countries announced their determination to return relations to their historic course.

Scraper SystemJuly 11, 2026, 11:52 AM

Algeria and Mali move to normalize ties after diplomatic crisis

The roughly 14-month diplomatic crisis between Algeria and Mali has ended. The two countries have mutually reinstated their ambassadors and decided to reopen their airspace to civilian and military flights.

The transitional government in Mali announced on Friday its decision to send its ambassador back to Algeria and open Malian airspace to all flights to and from Algeria. The government statement said the step was taken "within the framework of revitalizing cooperation and friendship relations between Mali and Algeria."

Algeria, with a similar decision, sent Kemal Retib back to Bamako as ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary. Algeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that President Abdelmadjid Tebboune gave this instruction "out of a desire to return Algerian-Malian relations to their historic and natural course based on mutual respect, brotherhood, and cooperation."

Algeria's Ministry of Defense announced that as of Friday, its airspace has been opened to all flights to or from Mali. It said the decision took effect on July 10, 2026 and covers all international destinations.

How did the crisis begin?

The tension between the two countries erupted on April 1, 2025, when the Algerian army shot down an armed reconnaissance drone near the Tin Zawatin border area. Algeria claimed the drone had violated its airspace by 2 kilometers, while military officials in Mali called the incident a "hostile act" and alleged the drone was shot down over Malian territory.

After the incident, Algeria closed its airspace to all flights to and from Mali on April 7, 2025. Mali soon took the same step based on the "principle of reciprocity." The two countries withdrew their ambassadors, closed their airspace, and political-economic relations froze.

Even before the drone crisis, tensions had been escalating between the parties. Mali had announced the termination of the 2015 Algiers Peace Accord, and the military administration in Bamako had accused Algeria of meddling in its internal affairs and hosting opposition groups.

The latest developments are seen as an important step towards normalizing relations between the two neighboring countries.

Algeria and Mali move to normalize ties after diplomatic crisis