Berlin Conference of 1884-1885 to Divide Africa
In 1884 at the request of Portugal, German Chancellor Otto von Bismark called together the
major western powers of the world to negotiate questions and end confusion over the
control of Africa. Bismark appreciated the opportunity to expand Germany's sphere of
influence over Africa and desired to force Germany's rivals to struggle with one another for
territory.
The Berlin Conference was Africa's undoing in more ways than one. The colonial powers
superimposed their domains on the African Continent. By the time Africa regained its
independence after the late 1950s, the realm had acquired a legacy of political
fragmentation that could neither be eliminated nor made to operate satisfactorily. The
African politico-geographical map is thus a permanent liability that resulted from the three
months of ignorant, greedy acquisitiveness during a period when Europe's search for
minerals and markets had become insatiable.
At the time of the conference, 80% of Africa remained under Native Traditional and local
control.
Fourteen countries were represented by a plethora of ambassadors when the conference
opened in Berlin on November 15, 1884 by the imperial chancellor and architect of the
German Empire, Otto von Bismarck to settle the political partitioning of Africa. Bismarck
wanted not only to expand German spheres of influence in Africa but also to play off
Germany's colonial rivals against one another to the Germans' advantage. The countries
represented at the time included Austria-Hungary, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany,
Great Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden-Norway (unified from
1814-1905), Turkey, and the United States of America. Of these fourteen nations, France,
Germany, Great Britain, and Portugal were the major players in the conference, controlling
most of colonial Africa at the time.
The initial task of the conference was to agree that the Congo River and Niger River mouths
and basins would be considered neutral and open to trade. Despite its neutrality, part of the
Kongo Basin became a personal Kingdom (private property) for Belgium's King Leopold II
and under his rule, over half of the region's population died.
At the time of the conference, only the coastal areas of Africa were colonized by the
European powers. At the Berlin Conference the European colonial powers scrambled to gain
control over the Interior of the Continent. The conference lasted until February 26, 1885 - a
three month period where colonial powers haggled over geometric boundaries in the interior
of the continent, disregarding the cultural and linguistic boundaries already established by
the Native Indigenous African population. What ultimately resulted was a hodgepodge of
geometric boundaries that divided Africa into fifty irregular countries. This new map of the
continent was superimposed over the one thousand Indigenous cultures and regions of
Africa. The new countries lacked rhyme or reason and divided coherent groups of people
and merged together disparate groups who really did not get along.
Following the conference, the give and take continued. By 1914, the conference participants
had fully divided Africa among themselves into fifty unnatural and artificial States.
The Act allotted "spheres of influence" to the relevant powers and established the Kongo
basin as the Kongo Free State under the sovereignty of Leopold II in his personal capacity
as head (and chief financial backer) of the private International Kongo Association. Some of
the main provisions of the Act are as follows; note in particular the doctrine of "effective
occupation" as prescribed in Art. XXXV.
The Berlin Conference:
The General Act of Feb. 26, 1885
Chap. I [relating to the Kongo River Basin and adjacent territories]
I. The trade of all nations shall enjoy complete freedom
II. All flags, without distinction of nationality, shall have free access to the whole of the
coast-line of the territories . . .
III. Goods of whatever origin, imported into these regions, under whatsoever flag, by sea or
river, or overland, shall be subject to no other taxes than such as may be levied as fair
compensation for expenditure in the interests of trade . . .
IV. Merchandise imported into these regions shall remain free from import and transit duties
[subject to review after 20 years]
V. No power which exercises or shall exercise sovereign rights in the . . regions shall be
allowed to grant therein a monopoly or favour of any kind in matters of trade...
VI. All the powers exercising sovereign rights or influence in the aforesaid territories bind
themselves to watch over the preservation of the native tribes, and to care for the
improvement of the conditions of their moral and material well-being and to help in
suppressing slavery, and especially the Slave Trade. They shall, without distinction of creed
or nation, protect and favour all religious, scientific, or charitable institutions and
undertakings created and organized for the above ends, or which aim at instructing the
natives and bringing home to them the blessings of civilization.
Christian missionaries, scientists, and explorers, with their followers, property, and
collections, shall likewise be the objects of especial protection.
Freedom of conscience and religious toleration are expressly guaranteed to the natives, no
less than to subjects and to foreigners . . .
Chap. II Documents relative to the Slave Trade
IX. ............the Powers which do or shall exercise sovereign rights or influence in the
territories forming the .. basin of the Congo declare that these territories may not serve as a
market or means of transit for the trade in slaves, of whatever race they may be. Each of
the Powers binds itself to employ all the means at its disposal for putting an end to this
trade and for punishing those who engage in it.
Chap. IV Act of Navigation for the Kongo
XIII. The navigation of the Kongo, without excepting any of its branches or outlets, is, and
shall remain, free for the merchant ships of all nations equally . . . the subjects and flags of
all nations shall in all respects be treated on a footing of perfect equality . . . no exclusive
privilege of navigation will be conceded to Companies, Corporations, or private persons
whatsoever . . .
Chap. V Act of Navigation for the Niger.
XXVI. The navigation of the (River) Niger, without excepting any of its branches and outlets,
is and shall remain entirely free for the merchant ships of all nations equally . . .[both
Britain and France which had parts of the region of the Niger under protectorate status also
undertook to apply the principle of free trade in their territories]
Chap. VI [Regarding new occupations on the coasts of Africa]
XXXIV. Any power which henceforth takes possession of a tract of land on the coasts of the
African Continent outside of its present possessions, or which, being hitherto without such
possessions, shall acquire them and assume a protectorate. . . shall accompany either act
with a notification thereof, addressed to the other Signatory Powers of the present Act, in
order to enable them to protest against the same if there exists any grounds for their doing
so.
XXXV. The Signatory Powers of the present Act recognize the obligation to insure the
establishment of authority in the regions occupied by them on the coasts of the African
Continent sufficient to protect existing rights, and, as the case may be, freedom of trade
and of transit under the conditions aggreed upon.
XXXVII. The Powers signatory to the present general Act reserve to themselves the right of
eventually, by mutual agreement, introducing therein modifications or improvements the
utility of which has been shown by experience ......................................
Done at Berlin, the 26th day of February, 1885.
Map of the African Political Entities before the Scramble 1884
In this Map of the Kongo region in 1887 shows that much of the interior territory is marked
has unexplored, its therefore clear to us to realize the clear ignorant and irresponsible
manner in which those state powers at the Berlin Conference of 1884-1885 have acted.
Stanley's Congo Treaties
For almost six years during 1879 to 1884, the great explorer Stanley labored on behalf of
King Leopold of Belgium to survey the basin of the Upper Congo River with a view to
establishing his own imperial enclave in Central Africa. The 1880s was the heyday of
Western imperialism when great powers such as Britain, France and Germany began to lay
claim to huge swathes of the African continent in what became known as the 'scramble for
Africa'. The ambitious Leopold, through energy, determination and, not least, his own
wealth devised his own plan to participate in this scramble. He founded the International
African Association which, during Stanley's sojourn in the Congo, became the International
Association of the Congo. During the years he spent in Africa, Stanley signed 'treaties',
according to his own claim, with over 450 native chiefs, thus acquiring for Leopold
sovereignty over their territories in accordance with the general terms of the sample treaty
below. These developments were duly endorsed by the Berlin Conference attended by the
great powers that gave approval to Leopold's organization of his African territory as the
Congo Free State in 1885.
Henry M. Stanley, Commanding Expedition to the Upper Congo, acting in the name and on
behalf of the International African Association, and the king and chiefs of Ngombi and
Mafela, having met together in conference at South Manyanga, have, after deliberation,
concluded the following treaty, viz.:
Art. I. The chiefs of Ngombi and Mafela recognize that it is highly desirable that the
International African Association should, for the advancement of civilization and trade, be
firmly established in their country. They, therefore now, freely of their own accord, for
themselves and their heirs and successors for ever, do give up to the said Association the
sovereignty and all sovereign and governing rights to all their territories. They also promise
to assist the said association in its work of governing and civilizing this country, and to use
their influence with all the other inhabitants, with whose unanimous approval they make
this treaty, to secure obedience to all laws made by the said association, and to assist by
labor or otherwise, any works, improvements, or expeditions which the said association
shall cause at any time to be carried out in any part of these territories.
Art. II. The chiefs of Ngombi and Mafela promise at all times to join their forces with those
of the said Association, to resist the forcible intrusion or repulse the attacks of foreigners of
any nationality or color.
Art. III. … the chiefs . . solemnly affirm that all this country belongs to them; that they can
freely dispose of it; and that they neither have already, nor will on any future occasion,
make any treaties, grants, or sales of any parts of these territories to strangers without the
permission of the said Association. All roads and waterways running through this country,
the right of collecting tolls on the same, and all game, fishing, mining, and forest rights, are
to be the absolute property of the said association, together with any unoccupied lands as
may at any time hereafter be chosen.
The International African Association agree to pay to the chiefs . . the following articles of
merchandise, namely, one piece of cloth per month to each of the undersigned chiefs . . .;
and the said chiefs hereby acknowledge to accept this bounty and monthly subsidy in full
settlement of all their claims on the said Association.
The International African Association promises:
1. To take from the natives of this ceded country no occupied or cultivated lands, except by
mutual agreement.
2. To promote to its utmost the prosperity of the said country.
3. To protect its inhabitants from all oppression or foreign intrusion.
4. It authorizes the chiefs to hoist its flag; to settle all local disputes; and to maintain its
[I.A.A.] authority with the natives.
Agreed to, signed and witnessed,……… (etc.)
Reference: Henry M. Stanley, The Congo and the Founding of its Free State (1885), Vol. II,
pp. 195-7