The series of events listed below which culminated in the setting up of the Berlin Conference are not in chronological order or order of importance.

Each event is however cited in one or more of our sources as influencing the advent of the Berlin Conference.

The European Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution meant that most countries were producing goods in quantities that needed increased markets and there was a need for raw materials at costs that made economic sense.

More land and labour, were needed especially for production of agricultural raw materials.

Technological advancement meant that most European Nations now had access to ships that enabled them to venture far afield looking for markets and raw materials.

Opening the Suez Canal

The Suez Canal, an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez now provided ‘vessels a direct route between the North Atlantic and northern Indian oceans via the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea, avoiding the South Atlantic and southern Indian oceans and reducing the journey distance from the Arabian Sea to London by approximately 8,900 kilometres (5,500 mi), or 10 days’.(1).

Greater knowledge of Africa

European Nations had initially limited their activities in Africa to the coast leaving friendly indigenes to travel inland on their behalf due to diseases like malaria and fear of dangerous animals and hostile people. These Nations were now financing expeditions hinterland to discover what lay there and to claim territory for themselves.

There were the likes of Henry Morton Stanley for Belgium, Pietro Paolo Savorgnan di Brazzà (who Brazzaville was named after) for France, Mungo Park and David Livingstone for various British Missionary and exploration societies to name a few explorers.

This meant there were more movements into Africa especially along the established Trade Routes as documented by the explorers and contacts made with ‘markets’ and raw materials which were being sought after.

Increased interest in Africa shown by non Europeans

It is worthy of note that during this period non-European Nations the likes of Russia, Japan and America had started taking an interest in Africa, a trend that was worrying for the Europeans.

Disintegration of African Kingdoms

Sadly this is also a period during which the ancient African Kingdoms begun to decline in power and break apart due to a multitude of reasons.

The Congo Free State

This is the name eventually given to a huge and very rich area in central Africa covering the current Diplomatic Republic of Congo, an area known for Ivory, Rubber and minerals. The disturbing thing was this area was being claimed as the ‘private territory’ of King Leopold 11 of Belgium much to the chagrin of the other European Nations.

THE CALL FOR A CONFERENCE

In order to avoid confrontations which may have resulted in the European Nations all losing out on the potential which Africa presented, a  Conference to discuss issues of contention was advocated for and finally called for by Otto von Bismarck, the chancellor of Germany.

Instead of fighting for, buying or bidding for, setting up economic entities with the Africans for our mutual benefit, 13 European Nations and America met to discuss the fate of Africa and Africans and where only 10% of Africa was initially under any form of control the Conference gave 90% of Africa to 7 European Nations.