Djibouti, 16 October 2025 — President Ismail Omar Guelleh inaugurated the First African Forum of Official Journals on Wednesday, highlighting the vital role of preserving Africa’s historical memory and strengthening collective identity through documentation, transparency, and digital innovation.
The event, which coincides with an exhibition narrating the History of Djibouti, opened at the Library and National Archives in Balbala. Seventeen African countries are participating in the forum, which seeks to promote cooperation on record preservation, legal transparency, and institutional memory across the continent.
In his opening remarks, President Guelleh described the gathering as both a celebration of African heritage and a platform for dialogue. “Your presence among us today is a gateway to our past and our history,” he said, inviting participants to explore the exhibition’s themes of memory, history, sovereignty, and exchange.
He reaffirmed Djibouti’s commitment to preserving its documentary heritage, noting that the country has digitized all legal and legislative records adopted over the past 125 years. “Preserving our memory and documents is not a luxury,” Guelleh said, “but an imperative necessity to consolidate our identity.”
The ceremony brought together members of the Djiboutian government, including the Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Justice and Prison Affairs, Ali Hassan Bahdon, and the Speaker of the National Assembly, Dileita Mohamed Dileita.
Describing Djibouti as “a land of encounter and exchange,” the president said the nation’s future cannot be envisioned without preserving its history. The forum, he added, reflects Djibouti’s broader commitment to protecting institutional memory and advancing digital governance.
The African Forum of Official Journals aims to foster collaboration among African nations to preserve public records, enhance transparency, and ensure that the continent’s legal and historical archives remain accessible for future generations.
