Algeria's president sacks 2 ministers from prime minister’s gov’t

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune dismissed two ministers from Prime Minister Nadir Larbaoui's government on Sunday, one of whom held the finance portfolio.

Tebboune "decided today to relieve Laaziz Faid, the minister of finance, and Fouad Hajji, the minister of state for industry responsible for pharmaceutical production," the Algerian presidency said in a statement.

The president appointed Abdelkrim Bou El Zerd as the new finance minister, replacing Faid, who had held the position since March 2023.

Tebboune also appointed Wassim Kouidri as the minister of industry and pharmaceutical production, with his ministry becoming independent of the Ministry of Industry, replacing Hajji.

Hajji had been appointed in the second government of Prime Minister Larbaoui, which was formed after Tebboune won a second presidential term in September and renewed his trust in the government in November.

The Algerian presidency did not provide further details on the dismissal of the two ministers.