▁secure ▁an ▁international ▁agreement ▁that ▁would ▁place ▁a ▁check ▁on ▁the ▁extensive ▁‘ in form al ▁emp ire ’ ▁that ▁Britain ▁had ▁built ▁up . ▁With ▁French ▁support , ▁he , ▁therefore , ▁conven ed ▁a ▁conference ▁in ▁Berlin ▁which ▁would ▁place ▁Germany ’ s ▁ac quis itions ▁in ▁Africa ▁on ▁an ▁intern ation ally - recogn ised ▁foot ing ▁and ▁would ▁establish ▁the ▁rules ▁that ▁all ▁powers ▁would ▁follow ▁in ▁future ▁when ▁making ▁territorial ▁claims ▁in ▁the ▁continent . ▁ ▁The ▁Berlin ▁Conference ▁( known ▁as ▁the ▁‘ West ▁Africa ▁Conference ’ ▁or ▁the ▁‘ C ongo ▁Conference ’ ) ▁conven ed ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 8 8 4 , ▁and ▁remained ▁in ▁session ▁until ▁February ▁ 1 8 8 5 . ▁The ▁General ▁Act ▁of ▁the ▁conference ▁made ▁no ▁mention ▁of ▁T ogo , ▁K amer un ▁or ▁any ▁specific ▁territory ▁other ▁than ▁the ▁bas in ▁of ▁the ▁Congo . ▁Nevertheless ▁the ▁conference ▁did ▁confirm ▁the ▁steps ▁required ▁in ▁order ▁for ▁the ▁Pow ers ▁to ▁recogn ise ▁each ▁others ’ ▁territorial ▁claims ▁in ▁West ▁Africa ▁– ▁steps ▁which ▁Nach t ig al ▁had ▁followed . ▁Al ong ▁with ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁claims ▁by ▁other ▁Pow ers , ▁German ▁claims ▁in ▁West ▁Africa ▁were ▁thus ▁effectively ▁recogn ised ▁by ▁means ▁of ▁the ▁conference . ▁In ▁parallel ▁with ▁the ▁main ▁conference ▁sessions , ▁discuss ions ▁were ▁purs ued ▁which ▁were ▁intended ▁to ▁avoid ▁possible ▁conflict ▁by ▁tid ying ▁up ▁over la pping ▁claims ▁and ▁starting ▁to ▁define ▁borders . ▁Just ▁two ▁months ▁after