Ismaïl Omar Guelleh

Who is Ismaïl Omar Guelleh?

Ismaïl Omar Guelleh is the President of Djibouti, in office since 1999.

Guelleh was first elected as President in 1999 as the handpicked successor to his uncle, Hassan Gouled Aptidon, who had ruled Djibouti since independence in 1977. Guelleh was re-elected in 2005 and again in 2011; the 2011 election was largely boycotted by the opposition amid complaints over widespread irregularities. He is often referred to in the region by his initials, IOG. Guelleh has been characterized as a dictator, and his rule has been criticized for by some human rights groups.