Who was Hassan Gouled Aptidon?

Hassan Gouled Aptidon (1916–2006) was the first president of Djibouti, serving from the country's independence in 1977 until 1999.12

An Issa Somali, Gouled led the African People’s League for Independence (LPAI), which campaigned for the nation's sovereignty from France. Following independence, he presided over a period characterized by efforts to balance ethnic tensions between the Issa and Afar populations, often by appointing Afar officials to key positions such as prime minister.213

Under his leadership, Djibouti adopted a policy of strict neutrality in regional affairs, refusing to support armed groups in neighboring Ethiopia and Somalia and hosting peace negotiations between them. In 1979, the LPAI transitioned into the Popular Assembly for Progress (RPP), which became the country's sole legally recognized political party in 1981. Gouled stepped down from the presidency in 1999 and was succeeded by his nephew, Ismail Omar Guelleh.12