Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune named a new government, with the energy and finance ministers from the previous administration both keeping their jobs.
The new presidency said Ramdane Lamamra was appointed as foreign minister, taking over from Sabri Boukadoum. Appointed last week as prime minister to replace Abdeaziz Djerad, Ayman Benabderrahmane, who was finance minister in the previous government, will remain in charge of finance. Mohamed Arkab kept his job as energy minister. OPEC member Algeria has been trying to extract itself from a financial and economic crisis. And that has caused budget and trade deficits.
Elected in December 2019, after mass protests forced his predecessor Abdelaziz Bouteflika to step down, Tebboune has promised to carry out political and economic reforms. He has said that the most planned reforms have been delayed. And this is due to the global pandemic that deepened the crisis in Algeria and that worsened the financial situation.
Tebboune’s plans involve developing the non-energy sector, such as agriculture. Because the North African nation imports most of its food needs. The new foreign minister, Lamamra, had held the role several times under former president Bouteflika. And most ministers in the previous administration maintained their jobs in this new cabinet.
