In the late 19th century, the colony of French Somaliland was established following treaties signed by the ruling Somali and Afar sultans with the French and its railroad to Dire Dawa (and later Addis Ababa) allowed it to quickly supersede Zeila as the port for southern Ethiopia and the Ogaden.
A finais do século XIX, a colonia de Somalilandia estableceuse seguindo os tratados asinados polos sultanes somalíes e Afar con Francia e o seu ferrocarril ata Dire Dawa (máis adiante Addis Ababa) permitiulles substituír rapidamente a Zeila como o porto para o sur de Etiopía e Ogaden.