Algeria: President Tebboune dismisses Prime Minister Nadir Larbaoui
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune dismissed Prime Minister Nadir Larbaoui on Thursday, August 28, ending his tenure that began in November 2023. An official statement confirmed the decision but did not specify the reasons. Sifi Ghrieb, Minister of Industry and Pharmaceutical Production, has been appointed interim Prime Minister while retaining his ministerial portfolio.
The presidential decree gave no explanation for the dismissal. However, Nadir Larbaoui’s notable absence from a recent government meeting on transport—convened after a deadly bus accident that killed 18 people—had sparked speculation on social media.
Born in Annaba, Sifi Ghrieb holds a doctorate in materials physical chemistry. Before being appointed Minister of Industry, he held several senior positions, including chairman of the board of the joint venture Algerian Qatari Steel (AQS).
For his part, Nadir Larbaoui, a lawyer by training, built his career in diplomacy. He represented Algeria as ambassador to several countries and as Permanent Representative to the United Nations before being appointed Chief of Staff to President Tebboune in March 2023, and later Prime Minister eight months afterward.
