The Berlin Conference was held in 1884-1885, and it was attended by representatives of most major European powers. The conference was called to establish rules for the partition and colonization of Africa. The following are the main resolutions of the Berlin Conference:
The European powers agreed to respect the freedom of trade and commerce in the Congo Basin and the Niger and Congo Rivers.
The powers agreed to establish the principle of effective occupation, meaning that a European power had to demonstrate that it had established effective control over a territory before it could claim ownership.
The powers agreed to suppress the slave trade and slavery in the territories they controlled.
The powers established the boundaries and spheres of influence of their colonies in Africa.
The conference did not take into account the territorial and ethnic diversity of Africa, leading to arbitrary borders that divided ethnic groups and created lasting conflicts.
The conference ignored the interests and perspectives of African people and established European domination over Africa.
Overall, the Berlin Conference institutionalized European colonization and exploitation of Africa and set the stage for the violent and oppressive colonial period in African history.