(Ecofin Agency) - Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune (pictured) yesterday made some changes in the government after he recently expressed dissatisfaction with the cabinet of the Prime Minister.

In his reshuffle move, Tebboune kept Abdelaziz Djerad as PM but changed the Ministers of Industry (Farhat Aït Ali), Water Resources (Arezki Barraki), Tourism (Mohamed Hamidou), Environment (Nassira Bengarrats), Public Works (Farouk Chiali), and Energy (Abdelmadjid Attar).

The Newcomers are Mohamed Bach (Minister of Industry), Mohamed Arkab (Energy and Mines), Kamel Nasri (Transport and Public Works), Mustapha Kamel Mihoubi (Water), Mohamed Ali Boughazi (Tourism), Tarek Belaribi, (Housing and Urban Planning), Dalila Boudjemaa, (Environment), and Hocine Charhabil (Statistics and Digitization).

President Tebboune also signed a decree dissolving the National Popular Assembly, the lower house of the Parliament. On February 18, he called for early legislative elections. "I have decided to dissolve the National Popular Assembly and call for corruption-free elections [...], and to open its doors to the youth,” he said

This is happening in a difficult context marked by the covid-19 pandemic that is affecting the national economy, but also on the sidelines of the celebration of the second anniversary of the Hirak movement that started on February 22, 2019.

Despite the fall of former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika and the sentencing of several of his relatives, demonstrations continued and many Algerians believe the current ruling power is just an extension of the former one.

For his part, Mr. Tebboune is trying to roll out many reforms to meet the demands of the Algerian youth. On November 1, 2020, a referendum was held to revise the country's constitution.

Moutiou Adjibi Nourou