After a period of significantly strained relations, Algeria and Mali have announced a mutual restoration of diplomatic ties, marked by the return of their respective ambassadors and the reciprocal reopening of their airspaces. This reconciliation follows years of tension, particularly since the current Malian government accused Algiers of interfering in its internal affairs.

Bamako confirmed the decision to reopen its national airspace to all civilian and military aircraft operating flights to or from Algeria, as stated in a government communiqué. Concurrently, Mali also declared the imminent return of its ambassador to Algiers, who had been recalled in April 2025, though a precise date for their resumption of duties was not specified.

Just hours prior, Algiers had initiated similar measures concerning its neighbor’s airspace. The Algerian Ministry of Defense announced that its airspace reopening, effective this Friday, would encompass all flights to and from Mali across various international destinations. Mirroring Mali’s move, Algeria also confirmed on Friday the return of its ambassador to the Malian capital.

Drone incident fallout

The Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Kamel Retieb would resume his ambassadorial post in Bamako. Retieb had been recalled to Algiers in April 2025 following a diplomatic dispute sparked by Algerian forces destroying a Malian drone. Algeria, which played a pivotal role in brokering the 2015 peace agreement between Bamako and armed groups in the north, has seen its regional influence challenged by Mali’s new authorities, who have consistently accused Algiers of meddling in their domestic affairs.

Mali has been grappling with a severe security crisis since 2012, fueled by violence from groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS), alongside community-based criminal gangs. The diplomatic quarrel between Algeria and Mali intensified in spring 2025 after a Malian military drone was destroyed near their shared border. Algeria maintained the aircraft had violated its airspace, while Mali asserted it was operating within its own territory.

This incident escalated into a full-blown diplomatic crisis, characterized by the reciprocal recall of ambassadors, the closure of airspaces, and a series of mutual accusations between Algiers and the Alliance of Sahel States (comprising Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger). Further tensions arose in April with Mali’s announcement of support for Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara, a position directly at odds with Algeria’s long-standing stance.

Despite these past disagreements, both nations share a lengthy common border and face significant joint security challenges, notably the ongoing fight against jihadist groups active across the Sahel. This shared imperative likely contributed to the recent breakthrough in their diplomatic relations, marking a crucial development in Sahel current affairs.