In a surprising move Algeria replaced four powerful ministers in a routine cabinet shuffle. The cabinet shuffle wasn’t supposed to have been a big deal. Algeria had legislative elections on 4 May and portfolios are always reassigned after a new government is formed. But not all portfolios get reapportioned and usually there is some policy continuity. But not this time. And this is why the move is such a surprise. Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ramtane Lamamra, Minister of Industry and Mines Abdeslam Bouchouareb, and Minister of Energy Noureddine Boutarfa all got the axe.
(In the spirit of full disclosure and analytic honesty – NARCO didn’t see this coming at all and was entirely blindsided. But that NARCO missed it says something in and of itself.)
NARCO has your analysis about what these developments mean for politics and for the energy sector in Algeria.
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