Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has appointed Lounès Magramane as the new director of cabinet at the presidency. Magramane, a seasoned diplomat, was appointed on October 13, 2026. He succeeds Boualem Boualem, who passed away on October 5, 2026, at a hospital in Geneva, Switzerland. Magramane has a long and distinguished career in Algerian diplomacy.
Lounès Magramane was born on June 1, 1961, in Khemis El Khechna, Boumerdès province. He is a graduate of the École nationale d'administration (ENA) in Algiers, with a specialization in diplomacy. Magramane is fluent in Arabic, English, and French. He has been married and has three children. His diplomatic career spans over four decades, with various postings in Africa and Europe.
Magramane began his diplomatic career in 1986 as the head of the Bureau des affaires politiques de l'Organisation de l'Unité africaine (OUA) and des mouvements de libération nationale. He held this position until 1990, before being appointed as ministre-conseiller at the Algerian embassy in Addis-Abeba, Ethiopia. He later served as sous-directeur de l'Organisation de l'Unité africaine (OUA) et des Organisations régionales at the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Throughout his career, Magramane has held various ambassadorial positions. He served as ambassador to Niamey, Niger, from 2001 to 2005. He was also appointed as chef de cabinet du ministre des Affaires étrangères and ambassadeur conseiller auprès du ministre des Affaires étrangères from 2007 to 2008. Magramane has also served as directeur général Afrique at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2008 to 2009.
Magramane's experience in African diplomacy is extensive. He has participated in several mediation efforts, including the conflict in Niger in 1998 and the Ethiopia-Eritrea conflict from 1999 to 2000. He has also attended various ministerial meetings and summits of the OUA and African Union from 1988 to 2000. Magramane has received several decorations, including the commandeur de l'Ordre du mérite de la République du Niger and the Croix médiane de l'Ordre du Mérite de Hongrie.
Prior to his appointment as director of cabinet, Magramane served as secrétaire général du ministère des Affaires étrangères from June 6, 2023, to October 13, 2026. He has also held postings as ambassador to Budapest, Hungary, and Ljubljana, Slovenia, from 2009 to 2015. Magramane was also the représentant permanent de l'Algérie auprès de l'Organisation pour l'Interdiction des Armes Chimiques (OIAC) in The Hague, Netherlands.
Magramane's appointment as director of cabinet is seen as a significant move by President Tebboune. His experience in diplomacy and African affairs is expected to be an asset to the presidency. Magramane will be working closely with President Tebboune to address various domestic and international issues facing Algeria.
Key points
- Lounès Magramane has been appointed as the new director of cabinet at the Algerian presidency.
- Magramane has a long and distinguished career in Algerian diplomacy, with various postings in Africa and Europe.
- He has participated in several mediation efforts and has received several decorations for his service.
