 Algeria's president, Abdul-Majid Tabone, has named finance minister Aiman Benedamin as prime minister and asked him to form a new government. The presidency announced his appointment to replace Abdul-Aziz Gerard, who resigned last week following a parliamentary election on June 12. OPEC member, Algeria has been under financial pressure because of low oil and gas revenues. The main source of their state finance is causing a widening trade deficit. The crisis has worsened further after the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing the government to delay several planned investment projects in various sectors. The North African nation of 45 million people has not yet managed to diversify the economy away from oil and gas despite attempts to develop the non-energy sector.