Historian Caroline Roussy has released a new essay, "La Mauvaise Réputation. Essai sur les frontières africaines," questioning the notion that African borders were entirely drawn during the 1885 Berlin Conference. In an interview with Africa Radio, Roussy discussed her research on the border between Senegal and Gambia, highlighting the complexity of African border histories. She emphasized that the Berlin Conference, attended by 14 Western powers, did not focus on border demarcation. Instead, it centered on the navigability of the Congo River basin.
Roussy noted that the Berlin Conference, also known as the West Africa Conference or Congo Basin Conference, was not initially known by that name. The conference, organized by German Chancellor Bismarck, aimed to establish rules for the Congo River basin. Two articles, 34 and 35, ultimately accelerated colonization by requiring European powers to demonstrate occupation of a territory to assert sovereignty. This led to a scramble for African territories among Western powers.
The historian disputed the idea that African borders were artificially created, a notion often attributed to colonial administrators. She explained that border demarcations were often the result of bilateral treaties between colonial powers or decisions within a single empire. For instance, the borders of Benin and Togo were established by colonial powers, with little consideration for local populations or geography.
Roussy emphasized the need to understand the historical context of African border creation. She highlighted that many archives and research on border creation are lacking, making it difficult to reconstruct the complex history of African borders. The historian also noted that some colonial administrators questioned the logic of border demarcations, particularly during World War I, when mobilization efforts were hindered by porous borders.
The idea of redrawing African borders based on sociolinguistic criteria has been proposed by some, but Roussy considers this approach "aberrant." She argued that such criteria do not account for the complexity of African societies, which often comprise multiple linguistic and ethnic groups. This idea has been discussed online, but it lacks concrete support from experts.
Roussy noted that Africans were rarely consulted during border demarcation processes. However, in some cases, local leaders and kings were able to influence border decisions during demarcation operations. The 1964 Organization of African Unity adopted the principle of border inviolability, which has generally protected African states from massive border changes.
Despite the challenges and complexities surrounding African borders, Roussy concluded that there has been no massive questioning of these borders since the 1960s. The emergence of new states, such as Eritrea and South Sudan, has not led to widespread border revisions. The historian's work aims to provide a nuanced understanding of African border histories, moving beyond simplistic narratives of artificial or imposed borders.
Key points
- Historian Caroline Roussy disputes the notion that African borders were entirely drawn during the 1885 Berlin Conference.
- African borders were often the result of bilateral treaties between colonial powers or decisions within a single empire.
- The 1964 Organization of African Unity principle of border inviolability has generally protected African states from massive border changes.
