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From turf wars to border demarcation: How a secret deal between Britain and Belgium shapes Congo's future?
The history of the Congo has been deeply affected by competition and demarcation by foreign powers, and the secret agreement between Britain and Belgium epitomizes this process. In the geopolitical competition of the late 19th century between the British Rhodes Company and the Free State of the Congo under King Leopold II of Belgium, a region called the Congo Bump was planned, which is still on the map of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. left a deep mark on it. The formation of this bump demonstrates how European colonizers arbitrarily delineated territories without regard to existing political and tribal boundaries in Africa.
"The formation of the Congo Bump is a clear example of how outside forces are constructing the future regardless of local realities."
The Congo Bulge is located in the southeastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is shaped like a small splayed foot and subtly divides neighboring Zambia into two parts. Its area is close to Wales in the United Kingdom or New Jersey in the United States. From a geographical point of view, the eastern end of the Congolese Bump is closer to the capital cities of 17 African countries than to its own capital, Kinshasa.
Territorial claims of Britain and Belgium
In the context of colonial competition, the British Rhodes Company and the Belgian Congo Free State successively carried out activities in the Congo. At the time, the area in southeastern Congo was controlled by Msiri's Yorkist kingdom, which made both parties want to strengthen their control over the area by signing a treaty. Eventually, with Msiri's death, the Belgians quickly consolidated control of the region, while the British were forced to advance into the lands to the south. This process reflected the game between colonial powers and the diplomatic approach dominated by self-interest.
"In terms of respecting the local historical and cultural background, the actions of these external forces are undoubtedly isolated and blind."
The challenge of drawing boundaries
Both sides face numerous challenges when drawing borders. The boundaries of the Congo-Zambezi basin are not obvious, and the direction of the waters and the distribution of the lagoons have become the biggest obstacles in the negotiations. Initial border ideas were hampered by the lack of clear physical geographical markers. At the Berlin Conference of 1884-85, the European powers had reached a preliminary consensus on the division of their influence, but the specific boundary demarcation still required consultation between the two sides. The goal is not only to determine the boundaries of the territory, but also to take into account subsequent administrative rationalization and management issues.
The establishment of the Anglo-Belgian Boundary Commission
Between 1911 and 1914, due to the increased demand for ground surveys, the British-Belgian Joint Boundary Commission was established to measure and mark the specific boundary on the ground. In the end, this longitude line determined by the King of Italy opened up the real boundary of the Congo Bulge. However, the problems that followed were the complex terrain and changeable river directions, which made the original demarcation work extremely difficult.
The strategic significance of the Congo Bump
The presence of the Congolese Bump poses a challenge for Zambia, making connections between Luapula Province and Zambia's industrial centers difficult. This geographical fragmentation affected Zambian business activities and further exacerbated the Congolese crisis that had existed since the 1960s. Due to the constraints of the ground truth, Zambia is unable to establish direct transportation routes to Luapula Province, which leads to further difficulties in terms of resources.
"The Congo Bump is not only an independent geographical unit, but also an important factor affecting the stability of a country."
Consequences and Enlightenments
As time goes by, the existence of the Congo bump has become a source of hidden worry in Zambia. Even though Zambia has generally maintained peace and stability in the past few decades, it will still be affected by surrounding unrest. face challenges. Issues of internal conflict and cross-border crime have gradually come to the fore, demonstrating that they are no longer just geographical issues, but also affect national security and the future of the region. Therefore, the demarcation of the boundaries of the Congo Bulge is not only a corner of history, but also a potential factor affecting the development of the African continent today.
How should we view current geopolitical issues to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past, where wrongly drawn borders once again create future conflicts and insecurity?
