What are the reasons and the Terms of the Anglo-German Agreement of 1890

Reasons for the Anglo-German Agreement of 1890 (Heligoland Treaty)

• Bismarck wanted to secure Germany’s position in Europe. But his great fear was France and Britain’s opposition. Hence, to avert this danger, he was prepared to make concessions in East Africa

• The British protectorate of Zanzibar was to be recognized. Hence, the recognition of the British prote’ge’ by the Germans would eliminate the British grudge.

• The Island of Heligoland in the North Sea was to be given to the Germans. The Germans believed that this would be a valuable naval base.

• In January 1890, Kabaka Mwanga signed the treaty of protectorate with Karl Peters that placed Buganda in the hands of the Germans. By then, however, Britain had already colonized Egypt in order to guard the Suez Canal. Britain did not want the source of the Nile to be under any big power, so she worked to colonize Uganda.

• The British wanted to persuade the Sultan to cede to the Germans the ten miles of coastal strip of the mainland. The Sultan agreed to this for the equivalent of two hundred thousand dollars. Germany agreed to abandon all claims to the Witu region (north of the British sphere), which would mean the end of the Witu German Protectorate, granted in the agreement of 1886.

Terms of the Anglo-German Agreement of 1890

• The Germans and British dominated the Anglo-German Agreement of 1890, which the Sultan played only a minor role. The following points made up the terms of the agreement:

• Tanganyika and an island in the North Sea became Germany’s sphere of influence. This agreement is sometimes referred to as the “Heligoland Treaty” for the Germans gave up their claims to Witu.

• Zanzibar, Pemba, Kenya, and Uganda became British spheres of influence. This agreement completed the partition of East Africa on paper. What remained for the respective colonial powers was to establish their colonial administrations. Both powers left this to their chartered companies.