What 1884–1885 meeting set rules for European claims in Africa?

The Berlin Conference set rules for European claims in Africa in 1884–1885.

Hosted by German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, the meeting brought together representatives of 14 states in Berlin from November 1884 to February 1885. Its General Act established principles for trade and navigation in parts of Africa and required European powers to demonstrate “effective occupation” when claiming territory.

No African government was represented at the conference, and the meeting did not draw the final borders of every African colony. However, it accelerated the “Scramble for Africa,” during which European states rapidly expanded and formalized colonial control. The conference also recognized the Congo Free State as the personal possession of Belgium’s King Leopold II, a decision later associated with severe abuses. The conference’s consequences were long-lasting, including borders and political structures that affected postcolonial Africa.