• Algeria confirms Sifi Ghrieb as new Prime Minister in reshuffle
• Energy ministry split; new posts created to boost governance
• Government aims to sustain 3.6% growth, diversify economy beyond oil

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune appointed a new government on Sunday, September 14, confirming Sifi Ghrieb as Prime Minister.

The cabinet reshuffle introduced several key changes. Saïd Sayoud, the new Minister of the Interior, will also retain the Transport portfolio. In another major development, the Ministry of Energy and Hydrocarbons was split. Mohamed Arkab remains a Minister of State but will now head the newly created Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Mines. Meanwhile, Mourad Adjal was appointed to lead the Ministry of Energy and Renewable Energy.

The Industry Ministry, previously managed by the new Prime Minister, has been assigned to Yahia Bachir. Additionally, a new department, the State Services and Local Government Inspectorate, was created. This portfolio was given to Brahim Merad, the former Minister of the Interior, who has been promoted to Minister of State.

The reshuffle follows President Tebboune’s dismissal of Prime Minister Nadir Larbaoui last August without official explanation. Larbaoui had held the position since November 2023 and was reappointed in November 2024.

The new government is tasked with maintaining the economic momentum of recent years, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimating a 3.6% growth rate for 2024.

While Algeria's economy remains heavily dependent on hydrocarbons, efforts have been made to diversify and reduce this reliance. The government is focusing on the industrial, agricultural, and public works sectors, with a projected growth rate of 4.5% in 2025.

"He [President Tebboune] has given me all the necessary instructions to make it a priority to serve the Algerian citizen and to advance the national economy to the ranks it deserves as a central state at the regional and international levels," the Prime Minister said.

Lydie Mobio