Key Points
- The Berlin Conference solidified colonial rule, sidelining African voices.
- Arbitrary borders led to persistent conflicts and legitimacy crises.
- Reparations and justice efforts can help heal Africa’s colonial wounds.
The Berlin West Africa Conference, often referred to as the “Scramble for Africa,” began on November 15, 1884, and concluded on January 31, 1885. This pivotal gathering of European powers, led by Germany’s Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, set the stage for the colonization of Africa by outlining the rules for territorial acquisition and trade. The agreements ratified in the General Act of February 26, 1885, had lasting implications for the African continent, whose representatives were notably absent from the negotiations.
A conference of conquest, not collaboration
The conference, attended by 15 nations—14 of them European—had clear objectives: regulate trade, ensure free navigation of key rivers, and formalize territorial claims.
The United States was the only non-European participant and notably declined to ratify the treaty. Efforts by African leaders, such as the Sultan of Zanzibar, to participate were dismissed.
According to a report by Vanguard, Bismarck framed the conference as a means to promote trade and civilization in Africa, but in reality, it crystallized the legal framework for colonial domination. The “doctrine of effective occupation” required colonizers to establish authority in their claimed territories.
This provision triggered brutal campaigns of conquest, leaving a trail of violence and atrocity across the continent. For example, King Leopold’s Congo Free State witnessed a catastrophic population decline, with conservative estimates citing the deaths of 10 to 11.5 million people.
The lingering trauma of arbitrary borders
The borders drawn during the Berlin Conference remain one of its most enduring legacies. These arbitrary lines disregarded ethnic, linguistic, and cultural boundaries, leading to state and governmental legitimacy crises.
The Organization of African Unity’s 1964 Cairo Declaration sought to respect colonial-era borders to prevent further conflict, yet disputes persist. Africa has seen over 100 border disagreements, and secessionist movements challenge the stability of many nations.
The divide-and-rule strategies employed by colonial administrations further deepened divisions within territories, fostering adversarial relationships that continue to fuel political unrest and instability.
Post-colonial Africa has inherited these challenges, grappling with the legacy of a continent fragmented by external interests.
A struggle for reparations and reconciliation
Efforts to address the injustices of colonization, such as campaigns for reparations and the return of stolen artifacts, are gaining momentum.
However, these movements faced resistance from nations that benefited from colonial exploitation. Illiberal governments in Europe, many from countries represented at the Berlin Conference, have opposed such reparative measures, highlighting the complexity of confronting this dark history.
In Africa, regional integration initiatives like the African Union have sought to address the continent’s colonial fragmentation, but progress remains slow.
Similarly, transitional justice efforts often focus on post-colonial violence, overlooking the intergenerational trauma stemming from colonial-era atrocities.
Reflecting on 140 years of consequences
The Berlin Conference’s impact on Africa is both profound and enduring. It stripped the continent of agency, imposed foreign systems of governance, and set a precedent for exploitation. The effects are visible in Africa’s political instability, contested borders, and economic struggles.
As we mark 140 years since the conference, there is a need for renewed global attention to its consequences. Recognizing the lingering impact of colonial violence and addressing it through transitional justice, reparations, and regional cooperation can help rewrite Africa’s narrative.
While the scars of Berlin remain, they also serve as a reminder of the resilience and potential of a continent striving to reclaim its agency and redefine its place in the world.
