16/12/2025
๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ข ๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ก๐๐ง (๐๐๐๐โ๐๐๐๐)
Former Vice-President and President of the Government Council
The American Afar Diaspora is saddened by the passing of Ali Aref Bourhan, who died today at the age of 91. A central figure in the political evolution of the ๐
๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ก ๐๐จ๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ and the ๐
๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ก ๐๐๐ซ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ, he left a legacy that profoundly shaped the institutions and political trajectory that led to the emergence of modern Djibouti.
๐๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐ข๐๐
Born in 1934 in Tadjoura, Ali Aref Bourhan rose from a respected Afar lineage to become one of the territoryโs most influential leaders during a defining historical period. His career unfolded at a moment of intense debate over governance, identity, and the future of the territory.
๐๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ
Ali Arefโs political journey began in 1957, during the establishment of new institutions under the loi-cadre Defferre. In Boulaos, within the concession known as โCamili,โ Ibrahim Sultan โ an aristocrat of Tadjourah, fluent in Afar and French, and a former telegraphist in the French Navy โ sought candidates for the representative council of Tadjourah.
At the time, Ali Aref was a young teaching instructor with little support for his ambitions. His family, following tradition, backed his elder brother, Mohamed Aref, a Treasury employee running on the rival list. Yet Ibrahim Sultanโs slate, endorsed by the charismatic Mahmoud Harbi, won a sweeping victory across the territory. This unexpected success marked the beginning of Ali Arefโs rise, setting him on the path to political prominence.
๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐๐ซ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ฉ
Ali Aref Bourhan first assumed national responsibility as 4th Vice-President of the Government Council of French Somaliland on 8 June 1960, serving until 19 October 1966. He earned a reputation for administrative rigor and for representing local interests while maintaining dialogue with French authorities during a period of constitutional restructuring.
Following the reforms, he was elected 1st President of the Government Council of the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas on 7 July 1967, a position he held until July 1976. Over nearly a decade, he played an essential role in navigating the territory through political disputes and efforts to redefine its institutional framework.
๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฏ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ง๐๐๐ง๐๐
A significant milestone of his career came on 31 December 1975, when he contributed to the political agreements and institutional negotiations that enabled the signing of the decree paving the way toward Djiboutiโs independence. His involvement in this phase marked him as one of the key actors in formalizing the transition that would culminate in national sovereignty in 1977.
๐๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง
In July 1976, amid shifting political dynamics and rising national demands, Ali Aref Bourhan tendered his resignation from the presidency of the Government Council. His departure marked a decisive turning point and opened the final chapter of the territoryโs transition toward complete independence.
๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ง๐ข๐๐ข๐๐๐ง๐๐
Scholarly analyses emphasize Bourhanโs influence within the broader context of post-war French African policy. His relationships with French decision-makers, combined with his strategic role in territorial governance, positioned him as one of the major intermediaries shaping the constitutional evolution of the region.
His leadership, although often contested, was instrumental in establishing foundational administrative structures and maintaining political continuity during years of profound transformation.
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฒ
With his passing, Djibouti and the region lose one of the last major actors of the pre-independence era. Ali Aref Bourhanโs contributions continue to resonate in the countryโs institutional memory and in the complex historical path that led to its emergence as a sovereign nation.
The American Afar Diaspora is saddened by his passing and extends its condolences to his family, Our Vice-President Abas, colleagues, and all who recognize the significance of his lifeโs work.
