Various European countries are trying to acquire…

Various European countries are trying to acquire a foothold in Africa at the same time.

France had occupied Ottoman Tunisia and colonized today's Republic of the Congo in 1881, followed by the Rivières du Sud colony at the Gulf of Guinea in 1884.

In 1882, Great Britain had occupied the Khedivate of Egypt, an Ottoman vassal which ruled over much of present-day Sudan and parts of Somalia.

In 1870 and 1882, the Kingdom of Italy had taken possession of the first parts of Eritrea, while the German Empire declares Togoland, German Cameroon, and South-West Africa to be under its protection in 1884.

The large number of competing interests causes the Association to fracture and disintegrate over each member state's national interests.

The Association's breakup eventually forces the Berlin Conference of 1884–1885, effectively ending what becomes known as the Scramble for Africa.

Leopold had begun a publicity campaign in Britain, drawing attention to Portugal's slavery record to distract critics and offering to drive slave traders from the Congo basin.

He also secretly tells British merchant houses that if he is given formal control of the Congo for this and other humanitarian purposes, he will then give them the same most favored nation (MFN) status Portugal offers.

At the same time, Leopold promises Bismarck he will not give any one nation special status, and that German traders will be as welcome as any other.

Leopold then offers France the support of the Association for French ownership of the entire northern bank, and sweetens the deal by proposing that, if his personal wealth proves insufficient to hold the entire Congo, as seems utterly inevitable, that it should revert to France.

He also enlists the aid of the United States, sending President Chester A. Arthur carefully edited copies of the cloth-and-trinket treaties British explorer Henry Morton Stanley claimed to have negotiated with various local authorities, and proposing that, as an entirely disinterested humanitarian body, the Association will administer the Congo for the good of all, handing over power to the locals as soon as they are ready for that grave responsibility.

On April 10, 1884, United States Senate authorizes President Chester A. Arthur "to recognize the flag of the AIC as the equal of that of an allied government".

On April 22, the United States decides that the cessions claimed by Leopold from the local leaders are lawful, and officially recognizes the International Association of the Congo.