Evaluate the impact of the Berlin West Africa Conference on the partition of Africa.

The question requires that candidates make an appraisal of the impact of the Berlin West Africa Conference on the partition of Africa. Candidates may weigh up the effects of the Berlin Conference on individual colonial powers’ action. Candidates may evaluate how the Berlin West African Conference took away the autonomy of the African communities and set up rules on how European powers could own territories. It led to the division of Africa. Candidates may refer to the effective occupation and free navigation by the powers concerned over the Congo and Niger rivers, both of which had been areas of conflict among the colonial powers. Other relevant factors may be addressed such as the role of missionaries and collaboration by African leaders, but with a focus on the issue in the question. Candidates’ opinions or conclusions will be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence.

The question required that candidates make an appraisal of the impact of the Berlin West Africa Conference on the partition of Africa. This was also a very popular question and produced some good responses, but many were weak as they failed to focus on the Berlin Conference or demonstrate adequate knowledge of its outcome and its impact on partition. They key word in the question was impact but too many candidates did not organize their responses around evaluating the impact.