New heads at ministry and Sonatrach, but Algeria has much still to do to halt drift

A series of new appointments in government and public companies suggests that President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s fourth term is finally gaining momentum. But in a complex and opaque political environment, the jury is very much out as to whether new faces such as incoming energy minister Salah Khebri and Sonatrach president director-general (PDG) Amine Mazouzi can enact the changes to governance and project implementation so many Algerians crave.In a long-awaited government reshuffle announced on 14 May, Bouteflika named low-profile industry academic Khebri to replace Youcef Yousfi at the Ministry of Energy