The Berlin Conference, held from 1884 to 1885, resulted in the formalization of European colonial claims in Africa. The major powers of Europe, including Germany, France, Britain, and Belgium, participated in the conference to discuss the division of African territories among themselves without the involvement of any African leaders.
The primary outcome was the establishment of guidelines for the colonization of Africa, which led to the ‘Scramble for Africa.’ This meant that various European countries rushed to claim and occupy different parts of the continent, often disregarding existing cultural and political boundaries. The conference facilitated the partitioning of Africa into various colonies, which significantly impacted the continent’s political, social, and economic landscape.
Additionally, the conference aimed to prevent conflicts between European powers over African territories by agreeing on intermediate claims and governance. However, this division often ignored the local populations and their rights, resulting in long-term consequences, including instability, exploitation, and resistance movements that would last for decades following the colonial era.