Who is Sifi Ghrieb, Algeria's technocratic new interim prime minister?

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has abruptly dismissed Prime Minister Nadir Larbaoui, stirring debate over whether a deadly bus crash hastened his downfall.

The presidency announced Thursday Tebboune had signed a decree removing Larbaoui and appointing Sifi Ghrieb as acting Prime Minister. No reason was given for the move, which comes less than a year after Larbaoui was reconfirmed in a cabinet reshuffle.

Who is Algeria's new PM?

Ghrieb, 51, a chemist by training, was appointed Minister of Industry and Pharmaceutical Production in November 2024.

He holds a doctorate in the physical chemistry of materials from Badji Mokhtar University in Annaba and has long been associated with Algeria's industrial sector.

Before joining the government, he chaired the Algerian-Qatari Steel company, directed the National Recovery Company, and headed the Industrial University under the Ministry of Industry.

Over the years, Ghrieb has been involved in a number of projects that have become talking points in Algiers's industrial circles: drilling Algeria's first petroleum well with locally produced cement, founding the Industrial University to bridge academia and industry, and overseeing the production of the country's first domestically made marine engine in cooperation with state firms.

In 2021, he was awarded third place in the National Innovation Prize.

Since entering government, Ghrieb has pushed for boosting local production, reducing imports, and drawing in foreign investment.

Local media have portrayed him as "a firm believer in relying on national expertise" to revive Algeria's struggling industrial base.

What happened to the previous PM?

Larbaoui, who became prime minister in November 2023, had submitted his resignation last September after Tebboune secured a second term in early elections.

However, the president asked him to remain in office to see through urgent legislation, including the 2025 budget.

His dismissal now comes amid speculation that he was being held responsible for a deadly bus crash in Algiers earlier this month.

His absence from a meeting on public transport in the days after the accident was widely noted, fuelling questions about his position.

On 26 August, Tebboune announced measures to overhaul transport safety, including importing new buses to replace ageing fleets.

"The government's performance was weak. Public opinion was expecting, even craving change," said Mohammed Ben Yeto, a political analyst in Algiers, after the announcement of the new interim PM.

He added that Larbaoui's repeated absences from official gatherings had unsettled Algerians. "This could have been avoided if Larbaoui had been more present."

"This decision will almost certainly lead to a broader government reshuffle," he added.

Parliament is scheduled to reconvene in September, with several long-delayed draft laws on political parties and associations awaiting a vote.