Algeria’s Abdelmadjid Tebboune appoints newly revamped cabinet

Algerian president Abdelmadjid Tebboune announced on Monday the composition of his new government nearly three months after his landslide re-election for a second five-year term in September.

In a statement published on the official Algerian presidency website, Mr Tebboune said he had accepted on Monday the official resignation of his former government but decided to renew his confidence in Prime Minister Nadir Larbaoui and charged him with forming the new government.

Mr Larbaoui, 75, a former diplomat who has held the role of Algeria’s permanent representative to the UN, was first appointed Prime Minister on November 11, 2023, before which he was Mr Tebboune's chief of staff.

The newly appointed Algerian government is larger than the previous one, with 38 members including ministers of state, ministers, deputy ministers and secretaries of state.

Mr Tebboune decided to keep Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf, Interior Minister Brahim Merad and Energy Minister Mohamed Arkab. The powerful acting army Chief of Staff, Said Chengriha, 79, will be a delegate minister for the Minister of Defence, a portfolio reserved for Mr Tebboune.

The reshuffle also included several current cabinet members being assigned new roles, the return of former government figures and the restructuring of some ministries.

Court of Algiers General Prosecutor Lotfi Boudjemaa, has been appointed Justice Minister, replacing Abderrachid Tabi. Mohamed Seghir Saadaoui has been given the role of National Education Minister, a cabinet post that Algeria considers critical as it tries to shift its educational system from heavily French-influenced curriculums towards an anglophone one.

The Trade Ministry has been split into two entities with the creation of the Ministry for Domestic Trade and Market Control, to be led by Tayeb Zitouni, and a Ministry for Foreign Trade and Export Promotion, which will be led by Mohamed Boukhari.

Two new foreign ministry positions have been also added with the appointment of Sofiane Chaib as Secretary of State for the National Community Abroad, and current Algerian ambassador to Burkina Faso Selma Mansouri as Secretary of State for African Affairs.

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Company profile

Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space

Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)

Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)

Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi

Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)

Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space

Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019

UAE - India ties

The UAE is India’s third-largest trade partner after the US and China

Annual bilateral trade between India and the UAE has crossed US$ 60 billion

The UAE is the fourth-largest exporter of crude oil for India

Indians comprise the largest community with 3.3 million residents in the UAE

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi first visited the UAE in August 2015

His visit on August 23-24 will be the third in four years

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, visited India in February 2016

Sheikh Mohamed was the chief guest at India’s Republic Day celebrations in January 2017

Modi will visit Bahrain on August 24-25

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.

8. Pillar 2 implementation

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer