The Berlin Conference (1884-85)

The Berlin Conference (1884-85)

The Berlin conference was a meeting held in Berlin that was called by Chancellor Otto von Bismark of Germany. The meeting took place between November 1884 and February 1885. 14 European countries were represented at this conference. USA and Denmark attended the conference as observers. Members in this meeting drew out a map of Africa ready for partition (drawing out colonial master’s borders marking their respective colonies (African States) that they would colonize).

The Events Leading to the Berlin Conference (1884/85

Explain the events leading to the Berlin conference (1884/85)

The events leading to the Berlin conference in 1884-1885 included the intervention of the late comers in the process of scramble for and partition of Africa. Military confrontation, conflicts over territorial boundaries, European nationalism, German unification, hostility relations, European industrialization, disputes and rivalries among the European powers.

The Resolutions of the Berlin Conference

Evaluate the resolutions of the Berlin conference

Representatives at the Berlin conference agreed on the following principles: (these principles were to be followed by all colonial masters).

1.     To abolish slave trade on their colonies: All and any elements of slave trade in their respective colonies.

2.     They agreed to send a lot of missionaries, traders and explorers on their respective colonies.

3.     They were required to stop or to make an end of resistances that occurred between Africans and colonial government.

4.     They were required to have effective control of their colonies e.g. by building/constructing social services.

5.     Colonial masters were required to notify other on the possession of colonies.

6.     They agreed to have free navigation on the navigable rivers like Congo, Nigeria etc. (In order to solve the conflict between the European Countries).

7.     They were required to open up economic activities on their respective colonies (establishment of colonial economy e.g. agriculture, trading industry etc.)

The Berlin conference involved division of colonies to the imperial trading companies’ e.g.

·         BEACO - Kenya

·         BSACO - South Africa, S. Rhodesia, N. Rhodesia

·         GEACO - Tanganyika, Rwanda and Burundi

Others involved:

·         Germany - Cameroon, Togo 

·         France - Congo, Kinshasa, Tunisia, Morocco, Senegal etc. 

·         Belgium - Congo Brazzaville 

·         Portugal - Angola and Mozambique

The Significance of the Berlin Conference to Africa

Assess the significance of the Berlin conference to Africa

The Berlin Conference had significance to Africa, addressing the colonization of Africa, abolition of slave trade, suffering of African people under colonial administration, division of African continent, introduction of European language as well as land alienation.