Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika has replaced energy minister Chakib Khelil with a former Sonatrach CEO and ex-government minister Youcef Yousfi.
The replacement of Khelil has been brought about as a consequence of an embezzlement scandal which has claimed the scalps of many of the company’s leadership since January.Â
Newspaper Al Fadjer is reporting that Khelil will take part of the investigation related to the Sonatrach scandal, while daily paper Ashoroq is claiming that he will be sued by the government.
OPEC’s website today still has Dr. Khelil designated as head of the Algerian delegation, with Hamid Dahmani, listed as Governor for OPEC.
Furthermore, Algerian national newspaper Alkhabar has today claimed that the Algerian President has ordered a party that Khelil had organized to celebrate the 50th anniversary of OPEC be cancelled.
The new energy minister Dr Yousfi has a hard task ahead of him in trying to clean up the image of the national oil company which has been riven with scandal since the turn of the year.
Â
