Introduction

The 1884 Berlin Conference, also known as the Congo Conference or the Scramble for Africa, was a watershed moment in African history. The Scramble for Africa is a term used to describe European powers' colonization and partition of Africa in the late nineteenth century. Representatives from fourteen European nations, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire attended the conference, which took place in Berlin, Germany, from November 15, 1884, to February 26, 1885. The conference aimed to regulate and coordinate European colonization and trade in Africa; in other words, they hoped to divide the continent of Africa among the European powers and this was instrumental in shaping Africa's future.

Countries and principal actors
Representatives from fourteen European countries attended the conference, including Austria-Hungary, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden-Norway, and the United Kingdom. The conference also included representatives from the United States and the Ottoman Empire.

The main goal of the conference was to establish a framework for dividing Africa among European powers and to prevent conflict over territory and resources. There were no African representatives at the conference, and their interests and rights were not taken into account in the decision-making process.

The Chancellor of Germany, Otto von Bismarck, was instrumental in organizing and hosting the conference. Bismarck had a vested interest in Africa and wanted Germany to participate in the "scramble" for Africa.

Bismarck, French diplomat Jules Ferry, British politician Edward Stanley, and Portuguese statesman Serpa Pinto were the leading players at the conference.

Speeches and Actions
The conference began with a speech by Bismarck, who emphasized the importance of cooperation among European powers in African colonization. He contended that a lack of a coordinated approach to Africa would result in conflict and bloodshed. Bismarck also proposed the principle of effective occupation, which stated that European countries could claim sovereignty over an African territory only if they effectively controlled it.

The conference then moved on to discuss various proposals for dividing Africa. Britain proposed establishing an African free trade zone, while France and Germany advocated for a more direct division of territory. Eventually, the conference agreed on the General Act of the Berlin Conference, which ignored that Africa was already inhabited by millions of people with their own cultures, traditions, and political systems.

Bismarck's inaugural speech emphasized the importance of regulating European colonization in Africa in order to avoid conflict among European powers. "All powers must have equal rights in African trade, and no power should be denied the right to navigate any of its rivers," he said.

The French representative, Jules Ferry, argued that colonization was a moral obligation and that France had a civilizing mission in Africa. "The higher races have a right over the lower races; it is their duty to civilize the inferior races," he said. He went on to argue that colonizing Africa would provide a market for French goods and create jobs for French workers.

The British representative, Edward Stanley, argued that the British Empire owed it to the "uncivilized" peoples of Africa to spread civilization and Christianity. "We are there as instruments of civilization," he said, "and it is our duty to do everything in our power to spread the blessings of Christianity and civilization among the peoples of Africa."

The Portuguese representative, Serpa Pinto, argued that Portugal had a historical claim to parts of Africa and that African partition should take into account the "historic rights" of European powers. "Portugal has a legitimate and historical right to her African possessions, which are critical to her maritime and commercial expansion," he said.

The conference concluded with the signing of the General Act of the Berlin Conference, which established guidelines for Africa's partition. The act stated that any European power claiming territory in Africa must notify the other European powers and demonstrate that it can effectively control and develop the territory. The act also declared the Congo and Niger rivers open to trade and navigation by all of them.

The Berlin Conference's General Act established the principle of effective occupation as the foundation for the recognition of territorial claims in Africa. It also recognized African states' sovereignty, but only if they were deemed independent and had signed treaties with European powers. The act also made the slave trade and the sale of firearms to Africans illegal......


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