The result of international pressure was that Leopold's Congo Free State became the Belgian Congo, a colony administered by the government of Belgium.

After the changeover there was a marked decrease in reports of abuses coming out of the Congo. By 1913 the CRA felt that there had been sufficient improvement in the conditions that it stopped its activities. The Belgian Congo now operated much like the other African colonies.

However, there continued to be abuses of imperialism in the Congo as in all African colonies. It was a system that was by its very nature exploitative and abusive.