 |
Algerian President
Abdelmadjid Tebboune on December 19, 2019, in Algiers.
ALGIERS, Algeria
Algeria appointed a new government on Thursday, as the
country faces its biggest political crisis in decades and a raft of economic
problems caused by falling energy revenues.
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune was elected last month and
appointed Abdelaziz Djerad as prime minister on Saturday. They have
kept several important posts unchanged, seemingly signalling continuity in
major state policies.
Abderrahmane
Raouia was re-appointed finance minister, after previously serving in that post
from 2017 until last March, when he was replaced. As is usual in Algeria,
Tebboune will act as defence minister.
Mass
protests that broke out in February succeeded in unseating veteran president
Abdelaziz Bouteflika in April. An election to replace him was postponed twice
as protesters said it would be illegitimate while the ruling elite stayed in
place.
Tebboune
was elected last month in a vote that the protest movement rejected, winning
58% on a turnout officially registered as 40%.
He has
offered dialogue with the protesters but the leaderless movement has continued
to stage demonstrations since his election.
Algeria,
a major energy exporter, depends on its oil and gas sales for 60% of government
revenue. However, sales have fallen since oil prices began to drop in 2014 and
Algeria’s foreign currency reserves have more than halved since then.
A state
budget agreed by the interim government and parliament late last year included
new laws aimed at increasing foreign investment but pledged 9% cuts in public
spending.
The
interim government appointed a new head of state energy producer Sonatrach,
Kamel Edine Chikhi, and a new central bank governor, Benabderahmane Ayman, in
November.
The
parliament also approved a new energy law that would make international
investment in oil and gas more attractive in order to arrest declining output,
while still keeping a bar on majority foreign ownership of projects in the
sector.
Foreign
Minister Sabri Boukadoum, Energy Minister Mohamed Arkab and Interior Minister
Kamel Beldjoud continue in their posts.
The
position of deputy defence minister, traditionally an important role in a
country where the top generals have held great political power, has not yet
been filled. It was held by Gaed Salah until his death of a heart attack at age 79
last week. – France24
No comments:
Post a Comment