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

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

The Berlin Conference of 1884-1885 established rules for the partitioning of Africa among European powers, often disregarding the existing ethnic, cultural, and political boundaries of African communities. This arbitrary division resulted in many countries being composed of various ethnic groups forced into the same political space, as well as others being split apart. Following decolonization, many of these artificially created borders led to conflicts, civil wars, and ongoing territorial disputes that continue to impact Africa today.