How did the Berlin Conference of 1884 cause conflicts in Africa that continue to the modern day?

Question

A.
The conference encouraged rapid industrialization, which led to famine as many Africans stopped farming.

B.
The conference created economic barriers to trade, which hurt African countries' abilities to import goods.

C.
The conference allowed Europeans to sell weapons to African countries, leading to an arms race on the continent.

D.
The conference ignored existing boundaries when creating colonies, leading to territorial disputes after decolonization.

Answer 1

The correct answer is:

D. The conference ignored existing boundaries when creating colonies, leading to territorial disputes after decolonization.

The Berlin Conference of 1884-1885 was held to lay down rules for the partition of Africa by European powers. The representatives of the European nations disregarded the existing ethnic, cultural, and political boundaries of African societies when creating new colonial territories. This artificial division has led to ongoing conflicts, ethnic tensions, and territorial disputes in many parts of Africa even after the decolonization process.