The Berlin Conference, convened from 1884 to 1885, was a pivotal event in modern history that had far-reaching consequences for Africa. European powers, including Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, and Portugal, gathered to regulate the colonization of Africa. At the core of the conference was the "Scramble for Africa," a period of intense colonization and exploitation.

During this time, European powers partitioned the continent among themselves, drawing arbitrary borders and claiming territories without regard for existing African kingdoms, cultures, and ways of life. This division led to the creation of artificial borders that often cut across ethnic and cultural lines, causing tensions and conflicts that persist to this day.