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Make a real difference...
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As the British and Italians spread their influence
across the Horn of Africa in the nineteenth century, particularly along the
Somali coast, the French, already established in
west Africa, eyed Djibouti as a prospective colony
that could serve its interests by way of its ports
at Obock and the city of Djibouti to enhance trade
routes to India, Madagascar and Mauritius. Before
the British, who were already active in Egypt and
Italians could extend their sphere of influence, the
French signed treaties with the ruling sultans of
Raheita, Tadjoura and Gobaad and purchased the
anchorage of Obock in 1862 to provide coal for its
steamships.
This purchase was seen to be of strategic value as
up to that point France had been dependent on
re-coaling its ships from the British port of Aden,
a fuel supply that could easily be disrupted should
further hostilities flare between the French and
British. Over the next few years France extended its
reach in the area including moving its
administrative capital from Obock to Djibouti which
was less exposed to attack and naming it French Somaliland
with its borders being formalised by agreement with
Emperor Menelik II of Ethiopia in 1897. The following
year a French consortium under the auspices of the
Imperial Ethiopian Company (CIE) began building a
narrow-gauge railway from the new capital Djibouti
to Ethiopia. Unfortunately the company ran out of
funds in 1906 leaving the partially completed
railway coming to an abrupt halt in the middle of
the Ethiopian desert.
However a
remodelled company, the Franco-Ethiopian Railway
Company (CFE), secured further funding by 1908 and
the railway, which was originally planned to enhance
trade from the Red Sea to Ethiopia was finally
completed in 1917 when it reached Addis Ababa. For more in-depth information and analysis of old Djibouti
check out our Djibouti history and independence pages, but
in the meantime check the video compilation below of pictures
and images of old colonial Djibouti from between the world wars
giving a rare insight into the country whilst under
French colonial rule and a fascinating glimpse of
history.
Old Djibouti: Volunteer in Djibouti
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Colonial Djibouti: Djibouti History
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Colonial Djibouti: Djibouti Independence
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Colonial Djibouti: Child Sponsor Djibouti
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Colonial Djibouti: Djibouti Country Profile
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