By Abdul Razzaq bin Abdullah

ALGIERS

Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika on Wednesday ordered a partial cabinet reshuffle, replacing the ministers of trade, tourism, sports and parliamentary affairs.

According to a presidential decree, Mohamed Hattab was appointed youth and sports minister; Saeed Jalab was made trade minister; Abdul Qadir bin Masood was appointed tourism minister; and Mahjoub Bada was made parliamentary affairs minister.

According to local political observers, the Trade Ministry is considered one of the Algerian cabinet’s most important portfolios.

The Trade Ministry played a pivotal role in formulating Algeria’s current austerity policy, which was adopted three years ago in hopes of stemming foreign-currency outflows by reducing imports.