Algeria names new Prime Minister

REUTERS - Algeria's president named Abdelmalek Sellal as the country's new prime minister on Monday, the first appointment in a cabinet reshuffle, and other ministers were due to be named later in the day, a senior government official said.

"I confirm that Sellal is our new prime minster," he told Reuters.

Sellal, a technocrat, has served for more than a decade as minister for various departments and was President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's campaign director for the 2004 presidential election.

Described as a man of consensus as he does not belong to any party, Sellal's main mission will be to organize Algeria's next presidential election, due in 2014 or before if Bouteflika, 75, steps down on health grounds.

Observers also expect Sellal to ease laws put in place by his predecessor Ahmed Ouyahiathat that have discouraged foreign investors.