Algeria: Sonatrach appoints new officials

The appointment of a number of new officials to mid-ranking but influential positions within Sonatrach indicates that the unwieldy and sclerotic state-owned oil and gas company is attempting to gear itself up to achieve the production targets it has set itself. The company is under pressure to increase output not only to provide increased export revenues to the Treasury but also to meet growing domestic demand. On 15 October, Le Soir d’Algérie reported that several key promotions had been motivated by the need to improve management performance and to increase output. The most senior new appointee is Abdelghani Zeghib, who has been named head of the production division.