Lists of office-holders

Governors of French Somaliland, 1884 to 1977

France ruled the territory that is now Djibouti from 1884 to 27 June 1977. It was led by a commandant at Obock from 1884, by governors from 1887, and by high commissioners after it was renamed the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas in 1967. Léonce Lagarde was the first, and Camille d'Ornano the last, handing over at independence.

Last checked 2026-11-12 2 sources Reading time: 9 min

In short

France bought Obock in 1862 but left it unoccupied until 1884. The territory was named French Somaliland (Côte française des Somalis) in 1896 and the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas in 1967. Acting governors held the post between many appointed governors, and they are listed too. Wikipedia's list draws on World Statesmen; where the two disagree, we give the World Statesmen dates and say so in the note. (Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti)

Each row below gives the holder's name in English and Somali spelling, dates in office and the source for that row. Dates are from Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti; where sources give different dates, the note says so. How we source: How we check facts.

Obock and Dependencies, 1884 to 1896

Name In office Note Source
Léonce Lagarde 24 June 1884 to 7 August 1887 Commandant Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Léonce Lagarde 7 August 1887 to 20 May 1896 Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti

French Somaliland, 1896 to 1967

Name In office Note Source
Léonce Lagarde 20 May 1896 to 7 March 1899 Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Antoine Mizon 7 March 1899 to 11 March 1899 Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Alfred Albert Martineau 28 March 1899 to 13 April 1900 Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Gabriel Louis Angoulvant 13 April 1900 to 6 December 1900 acting Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Alphonse Bonhoure 6 December 1900 to 7 September 1901 Governor; 1st term Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Louis Ormiéres 7 September 1901 to June 1902 acting Governor; 1st term Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Alphonse Bonhoure June 1902 to 23 May 1903 Governor; 2nd term Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Albert Dubarry 23 May 1903 to December 1903 acting Governor; 1st term Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Alphonse Bonhoure December 1903 to 2 April 1904 Governor; 3rd term Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Albert Dubarry 2 April 1904 to 5 August 1904 acting Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Pierre Hubert Auguste Pascal 5 August 1904 to 9 September 1905 Governor; 1st term Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Raphaël Antonetti 9 September 1905 to 13 October 1905 acting Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Louis Ormiéres 13 October 1905 to 19 May 1906 acting Governor; 2nd term Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Paul Patté 19 May 1906 to 19 June 1906 acting Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Pierre Hubert Auguste Pascal 19 June 1906 to July 1908 Governor; 2nd term Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Jean Baptiste Castaing 11 July 1908 to 5 January 1909 acting Governor; 1st term; dates from World Statesmen World Statesmen, Djibouti
Pierre Hubert Auguste Pascal 5 January 1909 to June 1911 Governor; 3rd term Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Jean Baptiste Castaing June 1911 to December 1911 acting Governor; 2nd term Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Pierre Hubert Auguste Pascal December 1911 to April 1913 Governor; 4th term Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Henri Carreau 25 April 1913 to May 1913 acting Governor; 1st term; dates from World Statesmen World Statesmen, Djibouti
Adrien Jules Jean Bonhoure May 1913 to 2 March 1914 Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Fernand Deltel 2 March 1914 to 7 February 1915 acting Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Henri Carreau 7 February 1915 to 14 April 1915 acting Governor; 2nd term Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Paul Simoni 14 April 1915 to 19 September 1916 Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Victor Marie Fillon 8 October 1916 to 28 August 1917 Governor; dates from World Statesmen World Statesmen, Djibouti
Édouard Geffriaud 28 August 1917 to 8 September 1918 acting Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Jules Lauret 8 September 1918 to 3 May 1920 Governor; 1st term Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
M. Lassaigne 3 May 1920 to 29 June 1920 acting Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Edmond Lippman 29 June 1920 to 29 November 1920 acting Governor; 1st term; dates from World Statesmen World Statesmen, Djibouti
Jules Lauret 29 November 1920 to 25 May 1922 Governor; 2nd term Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Edmond Lippman 25 May 1922 to 8 January 1923 acting Governor; 2nd term Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Jules Lauret 8 January 1923 to 22 February 1924 Governor; 3rd term Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Pierre-Amable Chapon-Baissac 18 May 1924 to 9 July 1934 Governor; dates from World Statesmen World Statesmen, Djibouti
Jules Marcel de Coppet 7 May 1934 to 18 July 1935 Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Achille Louis Auguste Silvestre 18 July 1935 to 20 December 1935 Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Armand Léon Annet 20 December 1935 to 1 May 1937 Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
François Pierre-Alype 1 May 1937 to 19 March 1938 acting Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
François Pierre-Alype 19 March 1938 to 27 April 1938 Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Hubert Jules Deschamps 27 April 1938 to 2 May 1939 acting Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Hubert Jules Deschamps 2 May 1939 to 25 July 1940 Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Gaetan Louis Elie Germain 25 July 1940 to 7 August 1940 Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Pierre Nouailhetas 7 August 1940 to 21 October 1942 Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Auguste Charles Jules Truffert 21 October 1942 to 4 December 1942 Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Christian Raimond Dupont 4 December 1942 to 26 December 1942 Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
André Bayardelle 30 December 1942 to 22 June 1943 Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Michel Raphael Saller 22 June 1943 to 7 January 1944 acting Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Michel Raphael Saller 7 January 1944 to 1 May 1944 Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Jean Chalvet 1 May 1944 to 30 April 1946 Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Paul Henri Siriex 30 April 1946 to 1 March 1950 Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Numa François Henri Sadoul 1 March 1950 to 6 April 1954 Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Roland Pré 6 April 1954 to 13 August 1954 Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
René Jean Albert Petitbon 13 August 1954 to 7 August 1957 Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Maurice Meker 7 August 1957 to 1958 Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Jacques Marie Julien Compain 1958 to 16 November 1962 Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
René Tirant 16 November 1962 to 15 September 1966 Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Louis Saget 15 September 1966 to 3 July 1967 Governor Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti

French Territory of the Afars and the Issas, 1967 to 1977

Name In office Note Source
Louis Saget 3 July 1967 to 5 February 1969 High Commissioner Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Dominique Ponchardier 5 February 1969 to 21 August 1971 High Commissioner Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Georges Thiercy 21 August 1971 to 1 August 1974 High Commissioner Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Christian Dablanc 1 August 1974 to 9 February 1976 High Commissioner Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti
Camille d'Ornano 9 February 1976 to 27 June 1977 High Commissioner Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland, World Statesmen, Djibouti

Sources

We also publish every row of every office-holder list as one open data file: office-holders.csv.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia, List of governors of French Somaliland · en.wikipedia.org
  2. World Statesmen, Djibouti · worldstatesmen.org

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