Diplomatic relations between Algeria and Mali had significantly deteriorated in recent years, particularly following the current Malian government’s ascent to power, which had accused Algiers of interfering in its internal affairs.
In a recent government statement, Bamako announced its decision to reopen national airspace to all civil and military aircraft conducting flights to or from Algeria. The Malian authorities further confirmed the return of their ambassador to Algiers, who had been recalled in April 2025, though a specific date for their resumption of duties was not yet provided.
Just hours prior, Algiers had communicated an identical measure regarding its neighbor’s airspace. The Algerian Ministry of Defense specified in a communiqué that this decision, effective starting this Friday, encompasses all air traffic destined for or originating from Mali across various international routes. Mirroring Mali’s move, Algeria also declared on Friday the reinstatement of its ambassador to Mali.
Drone Incident and Diplomatic Strain
Kamel Retieb, who served as ambassador in Bamako before Algiers recalled him amidst a dispute triggered by the destruction of a Malian drone by Algerian forces in April 2025, is set to resume his ambassadorial functions, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Algiers, which played a pivotal role in brokering the 2015 peace accord between Bamako and armed groups in the north, has seen its influence challenged by the new Malian authorities. These authorities have repeatedly accused Algeria of meddling in their internal affairs.
The disagreement between the two nations escalated in spring 2025 after a Malian military drone was destroyed near their shared border. Algeria maintained that the aircraft had violated its airspace, while Mali asserted that the drone was operating within its own territory. This incident precipitated a diplomatic crisis, leading to the reciprocal recall of ambassadors, the closure of airspaces, and a series of accusations exchanged between Algiers and the Alliance of Sahel States, which includes Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
Since 2012, Mali has been grappling with a profound security crisis, fueled by violence from groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (EI), alongside community-based criminal organizations.
Further tensions were stoked in April by Mali’s public support for Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara, a position that directly conflicts with Algeria’s long-standing stance. Despite these recent disputes, the two nations remain connected by an extensive border and shared security imperatives, notably the ongoing struggle against active jihadist groups across the Sahel region.
