The Berlin Conference, sometimes referred to as the Congo conference or West Africa conference was crucial conference in the history of Africa. It happened in November 1884 to February 1885 in Berlin, Germany, which was an international conference having members of the major European countries, as well as the United States. He said the main aim of the conference was to control European exploitation and commerce in Africa in the time of the ‘Scramble for Africa’.
1. The Background to the Berlin Conference
Before the turn of the conference, European nations had started setting up殖民地 in Africa. Their influence in the continent was rapidly established during the later part of the nineteenth century as a result of search for raw materials, markets and bargaining power. These tensions and conflicts created a scenario that forced the convening of conference on matters arising to avert any possibly feuds among Europeans powers.
The reasons for putting it that the reason behind the conference
As it will be seen, the motivations of the European nations that convened the Berlin Conference were numerous and may not have been identical among themselves. The major driving forces can be summarized as:
- Resource Exploitation: European people had eyes set on the Africa’s natural resources including rubber, timber, diamonds and metals.
- Economic Competition: Countries of the world viewed Africa as a market for their manufactured products and as a reserve of cheap labour.
- Strategic Considerations: Overcoming and gaining the authority of ports and coastal regions were immense assets for founding naval supremacy and adding on regions in Africa.
- Missionary Activity: European powers wanted to introduce their faith and bring indigenous people of America to Christian faith.
2. Participants and Key Players
The Berlin Conference was one that was attended by Germans amongst representatives of fourteen European countries, the United States as well as some African state’s which were already independent. The most influential delegates were from European countries with established colonial interests in Africa, including:
- Germany: : Organized the conference, and had the least territorial extent of colonial possessions in Africa at that time.
- France: Held large chunks of West Africa, Equatorial Africa and North Africa.
- Great Britain: Controlled large areas of Africa, which are Egypt, Sudan and South Africa.
- Portugal: Once had colonies in Angola, Mozambique, and Guinea Bissau .
- Belgium: Became the owner of Congo Free State, a personal possession of king Leopold II of Belgium.
- Italy: Is said to have been trying to wield that power through colonization of Eritrea and Somalia.
- Aims and Objectives of Berlin Conference
The Berlin Conference had several key goals, which greatly influenced the continent’s future:
Creating a Concept and Founding “Effective Occupation”
It is pertinent to understand that one of the most important goals of the Berlin Conference was to bring an element known as the principle of “effective occupation” into practice as possibly the only criterion regarding the sovereignty of territories in Africa. Citing this principle, European powers again had to show the capacity of exercise their sovereignty over the stipulated territories. This requirement eliminated uncontrolled acquisition of African territories where in reality there was no control or administration.
Separation of Boundaries in Africa
When attending a conference, European powers made and settled on the geographical parameters of the colonies they had established. Known mostly on paper and drawn by Europeans these boundaries totally disregarded the ethnic, cultural and linguistic diversity of the African people. Consequently most of the borders post the colonial rule severed the communities and hence led to constant conflicts even after the two regions gained independence.
Open Trade and Navigation
The other objective of the congress was to open up the areas bounded by Congo Basin and Niger River to free trade and passage. It was a recognition by the European nations to allow Goodman a provision for Free Trade within the colonies and other such territories where merchanting was permitted from any part of the globe. This commitment to free trade was however soon to be overridden by a host of colonial policies and practices.
Recognition of African Rights and of Slave Trade.
In an unexpected turn however, the Berlin conference famously declared the indigenous African peoples right to be allowed to control their own affairs. It disagreed with the slave trade and was designed and aimed to advocate for principles and actions to counter slave trade and forced labor. Nonetheless, the outcomes of this declaration remained rather weak, and the actual situation was quite opposite to what the principles stated.
4. Critique on the berlon confrence
While the Berlin Conference attempted to organize European colonial activity in Africa, it has faced substantial criticism over the years:
Lack of Blacks and Africans
Probably the worst criticism that could be made is the failure to accord adequate representation to Africa in the conference. It sad to note that decision concerning the future of the continent were made and executed without prior consultation with the African people culminating into the colonization of Africa by Europe.
African cultural relativism was not given any regard.
The drawing of provincial boundaries during the conference Therefore, failed to consider the ethnic, cultural or linguistic identity of African people. This led to perpetual fighting of one ethnic group against the other after formation of new nation-states after independent.
Protection of European Interest
Critics of the Berlin Conference have been of the view that the conference mainly worked for the Europeans to exploit Africa continent and its resources for the Europeon economic benefit. Some people of the society argued that the conference made colonialism permanent and paved way for the domination of African people.
Conclusion
Some of the reasons would include but not limited to the following:- The Berlin conference as marked a new phase in colonization of Africa. Though put in place to modulate European colonialism actions it had impacts as follows that were sometimes destructive to the continent.
Finally, getting to understand the motivation, participants, aims and criticism of the Berlin Conference make one to have an understanding of the colonisation of Africa as a Continent. It is important to remember the impact this conference had on Africa’s destiny and the ongoing efforts to address its consequences.
Table of Contents
