Berlin ghosts echo unfinished Africa's decolonisation

February 26 marks 140 years since the Berlin Conference of 1884–1885, where European powers convened to partition Africa among themselves.

No African voices were present, nor was any consideration to the continent’s diverse peoples and histories. The borders drawn in Berlin continue to shape Africa’s political and socio-economic realities today. The Berlin conference formalised the scramble for Africa, which was already well underway. The participating powers sought not only to maximise their territorial claims but also avoid conflict among themselves. In 1870, 10 per cent of Africa was under European control; by 1914, that figure had soared to 90 per cent. The only nominally ethical gesture was formal abolition of slavery, yet in practice, colonial rule was imposed through violence and coercion. Missionaries served as the vanguard of expansion, using religion, modernity, and progress as justifications to weaken resistance.

As a Mzungu in Africa, I often find myself in discussions about colonialism and its lasting effects. Some argue that Africa’s struggles today stem purely from bad leadership and corruption. My view is more nuanced: while poor governance plays a role, many of Africa’s challenges are the result of leaders compromised by external interests.

Colonialism never truly ended; it merely evolved into neocolonialism, which operates through economic dominance, globalisation, cultural influence, and conditional aid. Subtler yet equally powerful tools used to shape and control developing nations. John Perkins’ autobiography Confessions of an Economic Hitman offers a striking illustration of this process. He describes how he persuaded leaders of developing nations to accept massive loans that ultimately served the interests of Western corporations. These deals, marketed as development aid, entrenched debt and dependency, leaving nations vulnerable to foreign control over their resources and policies.

Among the most devastating outcomes of the Berlin conference was designation of the entire Congo Basin as personal property of Belgium’s King Leopold II. Under his rule, the region became a site of unimaginable brutality, where forced labour, violence and exploitation were used to extract its resources. Though the colonial era eventually ended, the plunder of Congo’s wealth never ceased. To this day, Eastern DRC remains a battleground for mineral extraction, with corruption and violence serving as tools to maintain foreign interests.

Not only did the arbitrary borders drawn in Berlin grant access to wealth, but they also laid the foundation for a continued disregard of linguistic, cultural, and ethnic realities — forcing together communities with little historical unity while separating others with deep-rooted ties. One example of this imposed division is the Banyarwanda—people of Rwandan origin who have lived in eastern Congo for generations. Left on the “wrong” side of an artificial border, they were cut off from their historical and ethnic connections.

The legacy of the Berlin conference continues to shape the lives of millions in Eastern Congo. Yet, discussions in Western media and policy circles rarely acknowledge these historical roots. Instead, coverage tends to focus on simplified narratives rather than addressing how decisions made 140 years ago still drive instability in the region today.
For Africa to achieve true sovereignty, its people must reclaim full control over their nations — not only politically but economically. At the same time, the global community must reckon with the unfinished business of colonialism. Acknowledging history is not an exercise in blame but a necessary step towards justice, partnership, and self-determination. The ghosts of Berlin still linger, but the future need not be dictated by their legacy.

-The writer is retired Finish detective