
The Lasting Shadow of the Berlin Conference: Africa’s Ongoing Struggle
In 1884, European powers met in Berlin to divide the African continent without consulting a single African leader. This gathering, later known as the Berlin Conference, redrew the map of Africa with no regard for the people who lived there. Colonial ambitions drove the process. European leaders sought to expand their empires, secure resources, and establish dominance. The consequences of their actions continue to shape Africa’s political, social, and economic realities today. Arbitrary Borders and Ethnic Tensions The new borders carved out by colonial powers ignored Africa’s ethnic, cultural, and linguistic diversity. Communities with long histories of rivalry were forced…