Ali Aref Bourhan

Ali Aref Bourhan (; 1934 – 15 December 2025) was a Djiboutian politician who served as the 1st President of the Government Council of the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas from 1967 to 1976. Previously, he served as the 4th Vice President of the Government Council of French Somaliland from 1960 to 1966.

Early life Bourhan was born in 1934 in the coastal city of Tadjoura, situated in eastern present-day Djibouti. He hailed from a prominent local Afar family, the Abourbakers (descendants of Abubakr Ibrahim Chehem). He also has a Gadabursi grandmother from Zeila.

As a young man in the 1950s, Bourhan began his professional career as a teacher. He also ran the town's Afar and Somali youth club. He died in a plane crash two years later under mysterious circumstances.

In 1960, with the fall of the ruling Dini administration, Bourhan assumed the seat of Vice President of the Government Council of French Somaliland, representing the UNI party.

In July of the following year, he was elected President of the Government Council of the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas. Bourhan served in that capacity until 29 July 1976, the eve of Djibouti's independence. He was succeeded in office by Abdallah Mohamed Kamil.