The Berlin Conference of 1884-85 was a meeting of European colonial powers to decide how to divide and exploit Africa. This conference was called by German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, who was seeking to establish Germany as a major colonial power.

The conference was attended by representatives of 14 European nations, as well as the United States. The main goal of the conference was to divide Africa into territories that would be controlled and exploited by the European powers.

The agreement reached at the conference was the famous Berlin Act. This act established guidelines for the partition of Africa, which included the requirement that a European power must establish “effective occupation” of a territory in order to claim it as a colony.

The Berlin Act also established rules for the treatment of Africans by colonial powers. However, these rules were never properly enforced, and the colonial powers continued to exploit and oppress the African people.

The Berlin Conference had far-reaching consequences for Africa and the world as a whole. It set the stage for the brutal exploitation of Africa by European powers, which would lead to decades of violence, poverty, and oppression.

Today, many people view the Berlin Conference as a shameful episode in European history. However, it is important to remember the lessons of this conference, as we work to create a more just and equitable world.