135 years on: 5 ridiculous results of the 1885 Berlin Conference that Africans have to forever live with

Nii Ntreh November 15, 2019
The African continent was irrevocably shaped by the Berlin Conference of 1884. Photo Credit: BBC

Long before the Berlin Conference of 1884, some of the territories on the African continent had already been secured as colonies. For instance, Gold Coast, the place that is today Ghana, had been annexed by the British around the 1860s.

Many historians caution against over-emphasising the significance of Berlin for Africans. Indeed, it is quite common to read among scholars that the conference was a diplomatic tactic Germany took as part of reinventing itself as an imperial power.

Yet, it will be quite odd to downplay what the conference held for Africans and how it has irrevocably shaped the lives of close to two billion people on the continent.

Here are five present consequences of the Berlin Conference of 135 years ago.

Last Edited by:Kent Mensah Updated: November 15, 2019

Conversations

Must Read

Connect with us

Join our Mailing List to Receive Updates