Exactly two weeks after taking office, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune appointed Thursday, January 2, in the evening, his first government, consisting of 39 members, announced the spokesman for the presidency, detailing the composition at the national television. This is the first time that the Algerian government has been announced live from the presidency and by one of its officials on television, not through an official press release.
On December 28, Mr. Tebboune had appointed Abdelaziz Djerad Prime Minister. This 65-year-old academic, former secretary general of the presidency (1993-1995), then of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2001-2003), was responsible for forming a government.
Former Bouteflika ministers in government
Four of the five main ministers were already in the previous government, led by Noureddine Bedoui, appointed on March 31 by President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, two days before his resignation under pressure from the unprecedented protest movement, named Hirak.
Sabri Boukadoum retains the foreign affairs portfolio. Kamel Beldjoud, Minister of Housing in the Bedoui government, became Minister of the Interior, a post he had held since the dismissal of its incumbent, Salah Eddine Dahmoune, on December 19.
Belkacem Zeghmati, already minister of justice in the Bedoui government also keeps his portfolio, as does Mohamed Arkab in energy. As for the 5e, Abderrahmane Raouya, appointed Minister of Finance, he had already occupied the post between 2017 and 2019 under the presidency Bouteflika, in the government of Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia.
Tayeb Zitouni keeps his portfolio of minister of mujahideen (veterans), which he has occupied continuously since 2017.
At least three other ministers – Farouk Chiali (public works), Sid Ahmed Ferroukhi (fishing), Hassane Mermouri (tourism) – have already occupied these portfolios under the presidency of Mr. Bouteflika, who was president for twenty years.
Among its 39 members, the government includes seven deputy ministers and four secretaries of state. Five women are also part of it, according to Algérie Presse Service (APS), the official news agency.
Main originality, it does not count of vice-minister of defense, post which occupied since 2013, and until his death, on December 23, the powerful chief of staff of the army, the general Ahmed Gaïd Salah. The President of the Republic is traditionally the Minister of Defense in title in Algeria.
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