This was in the late nineteenth century, and European countries began looking at the African continent as a more permanent resource base for their newly industrial sectors.

More than the continuous trade between the two continents that were nominated for decades, the Europeans wanted direct control of natural resources in Africa. In addition, these countries aim to “develop civil Africa”, according to documents from that period.

Thus, the crazy “stampede of Africa” ​​began, as it will be called later. Great Britain, Portugal, France, Germany and King Leopold II from Belgium began sending scouts to secure trade and sovereignty treaties with local leaders, buy or just put flags and put a demand for vast areas of land that intersects rubber.

The quarrels erupted in Europe Which “possesses” what. The French, for example, clashed with Britain on several West African lands, and again with King Leopold over the regions of Central Africa.

To avoid a comprehensive conflict between the competing European countries, all stakeholders agreed to a meeting in Berlin, Germany in 1884-1885 to determine the common conditions and manage the colonial process.

African countries have not been invited or representing.

What was the Berlin conference?

In November 1884, German Chancellor Otto von Bismark took the task of inviting the conference in Berlin in Berlin, Berlin, his official residence in 77 William Street.

For several months before, French officials at Missives To Bismarck raised fears of Britain’s gains, especially its control over Egypt and the Suez Canal transfer road. Germany was also concerned about the conflicting areas with the British, such as Cameroon.

The talks led by Bismarck continued from November 15, 1884 to February 26, 1885. On the agenda, clear maps fee and the agreement of those owned by the area were. Also, tax -exempt and free navigation trade areas, especially in the Congo River and Niger River, have also been clarified.

Who attended?

The ambassadors and diplomats from 14 countries were present at the meeting.

Four of them – France, Germany, Britain and Portugal – have already controlled the most African lands, and thus they were the great stakeholders.

The King of Belgium also sent the envoys to ensure the recognition of the “International Congo Association”, an association formed to prove his personal control in the Congo Basin.

No African leader was present. Sultan Zanzibar’s request was rejected to attend.

Regardless of those that were nine other countries, most of them will end with the departure of the conference without any region at all. She was:

• Austria and Hungary
• Denmark
• Russia
• Italy
• Sweden Norway
• Spain
• Holland
• The Ottoman Empire (Türkiye)
• USA (United States)

What is the result?

Over the course of three months of bargaining, European leaders signed them and believed on a general law of 38 of the sentences and the Africa Department. It ended in the United States not to sign the treaty because local policy at that time began to take an anti -imperial turn.

• The colonial countries have put a rough mixture of new African colonies, overlooking the current “original” countries. However, many of the actual limits recognized today in the bilateral events will be completed after the conference, and after the First World War (1914-1918) when the Ottoman and German empires fell and lost their lands.
• In addition, international public law has made free trade on the Congo River basins and the Niger River. It also recognized King Leopold’s International Congo Association, which was controversial because some people questioned the case of private ownership. However, Leopold claimed that he was doing humanitarian work. The areas that have ended under the Leopold, known as the Free Congo State, will suffer from some of the worst brutality of colonialism, as hundreds of thousands have worked to death on rubber farms, or punishing amputation of the limbs.
• Finally, the action linked all parties to protect the “original tribes … their moral and material well -being”, as well as further suppression of the slave trade that was officially canceled in 1807/1808, but it was still illegally continuing. He also stated that the mere putting of flags on the newly obtained lands will not be reasons for ownership, but that the “effective profession” successfully means the creation of administrative colonies in the regions.

Who “got” the areas?

Western “ownership” of African lands has not been completed at the conference, but after many of the bilateral events that followed. Liberia was the only country that was not divided because it gained independence from the United States. Ethiopia was briefly invaded by Italy, but it has mostly resisted colonialism. After the German and Ottoman empires fell after the First World War, a map is closer to what we now know with the emergence of Africa.

This list clarifies any colonial rulers invited the continent in the early twentieth century:

• France: French West Africa (Senegal), French Sudan (Mali), Upper Volta (Burkina Faso), Mauritania, French Equatorial Union of Africa (Gabon, Republic of the Congo, Chad, Central African Republic), East African Africa (Djibouti), French Guinea , Cote d’Ivoire, Dahoumi (Benin), Niger, Tunisia, Parabaces, Morocco, Libya
• Britain: Cape Colonie (South Africa), Rodisia (Zimbabwe), Pethannland, Potswana Reserve, Britain East Africa (Kenya), North Rodsia (Zambia), Niasalland (Malawi), Niger Niger (Nigeria), Gold Coast (Ghana ), Sudan, Anglo-Egypt (Sudan), Egypt, Somalil, British (Somalland)
• PortugalEast African Portuguese (Mozambique), Angola, Portuguese Guinea (Guinea Bissau), Cape Verde
• GermanySouthwestern Germany Germany (Namibia), East Africa (Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi), German Cameroon (Cameroon), Togoland (Togo)
• Belgium: The Free Congo State (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
• Italy: Italian Somalia (Somalia), Eritrea
• SpainEquatorial Guinea (Rio Money)

What changed the conference?

Historians note that contrary to what is widely believed, the Berlin Conference has not started the colonial process; Instead, accelerate it.

While only about 20 percent of Africa – most of them are coastal parts of the continent – have already been equipped by European powers before the conference, by 1890, five years later, about 90 percent of African territory were colonized, including Internal countries.

It was believed that the colonists were largely ignored a previous alignment and people of different cultures and languages ​​together, even groups that were not friendly towards each other.

But there is also these, such as the researcher Jacques Payne, who say that the conference itself had a few consequences: that some African countries have already been appointed to previous campaigns, and that many of the borders we realize now will not be the formal nature of this until much after that .

“The conference itself was created only on the way to making countries, with the exception of the creation of the Democratic Republic of the Congo today,” said Payne, the minutes of political studies at the University of Emory, said. In reference to the state of Kongo Free.

“The reason is that the conference, which was held in the first place, is that the Europeans have already started” a stampede for “African lands.” “It is difficult to give a lot of credibility to the usual idea that the Berlin Conference was a key event in the European section of Africa.”

However, Payne, and many other political scholars agree that colonialism has decided the future of the continent in ways that still have deep geographical geographical effects on Africa today.

Resources were looted. Culture and resistance are subject.

Even after the African leaders successfully fought for independence and most of the two countries were liberated between the 1950s and the 1970s, building free countries was difficult because of ColonialismThe researchers say.

Because of colonialism, “Africa has gained” a legacy of political fragmentation that cannot be eliminated or working to work in illness, “researchers Jean Negman, Peter Muller and Har Daily wrote in their worlds, regions and concepts for 1997.

After independence, civil wars erupted throughout the continent, and in many cases, the armies assumed power, for example in Nigeria and Ghana. Political theorists link that most groups had to work together for the first time, causing conflict.

Meanwhile, military governments will continue to rule many countries for years, which leads to the cessation of political and economic development in ways that are still clear today, as scientists say. The previous colonies such as Mali and Burkina Faso, both of them led the army, were rejected against France because of the perceived political intervention they say it is an example of new colonialism.

In a well -known quote, Julius Nerry, the former Tanzanian president, explained what the researchers agree on is the current situation of Africa: “We have artificial” states “engraved at the Berlin Conference in 1884, and today we are struggling to build these countries in stable units of human society … We are at risk of becoming the Balkan continent in the world.