Political Recalibration: New Finance and Agriculture Ministers Appointed
Sid Ali Khaldi was named Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries, replacing Mohamed Abdelhafid Henni. Khaldi is a former Director General of l’Office National du Conseil Agricole (ONCA), the state body responsible for agricultural extension services. The ministry oversees Algeria’s cereal imports, which reached 5.4 million tonnes in 2023, a 12% increase year-on-year. Algeria remains the world’s third-largest importer of durum wheat.
The appointments coincide with President Tebboune’s participation in the African Union Continental Conference on Education in Nouakchott, Mauritania. The conference focused on vocational training and skills development. Algeria has pledged to increase vocational enrolment from 24% of secondary students in 2023 to 30% by 2025. The government’s 2024 vocational training budget is DZD 145 billion ($1.08 billion), up 8% from 2023.
Vocational Training: Slow Progress in a Changing Labor Market
The conference also highlighted a mismatch between training programs and labor market needs. In construction, for example, 72% of employers reported shortages in skilled welders, while 41% of welding graduates remained unemployed. The mismatch extends to digital skills: only 18,000 Algerians were enrolled in ICT vocational programs in 2023, despite demand for 45,000 digitally trained workers by 2026, according to the National Office of Statistics.
Food Security: Drought Mapping and Import Dependence
The government has allocated DZD 90 billion ($672 million) in 2024 for drought mitigation, including dam rehabilitation and irrigation efficiency programs. However, Algeria’s cereal import bill reached $4.3 billion in 2023, up 22% from 2022.
Collective Memory: Diplomatic Tensions Over Colonial-Era Statues
In Algiers, the National Council for Memory (CNR) reiterated its demand for the repatriation of 24 Algerian resistance fighters’ remains, held in French museums. No progress has been reported since the last talks in 2022.
Infrastructure: KC2026 Logistics Plan Advances
Wildfires and Social Stability
The presidency also highlighted a national youth empowerment initiative, with 120,000 young Algerians participating in vocational training programs in 2023. The program targets beneficiaries in rural areas, where youth unemployment stands at 31%, compared to 22% in urban centers.
Balance of the Week
Key takeaway for entrepreneurs
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