The Governments of the Netherlands and Germany have announced plans to return approximately 2,000 looted artefacts and culturally significant items to Ghana as part of ongoing international restitution efforts.
The announcement was made at the Next Steps Conference, where ambassadors from both countries formally presented a catalogue of the artefacts scheduled for repatriation to President John Dramani Mahama during the plenary session.
German Ambassador H.E. Frederik Landshöft, alongside representatives of the Government of Germany and Netherlands, highlighted the significance of the gesture as part of broader efforts to address historical injustices linked to the colonial era.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, confirmed the development in a Facebook post on Saturday, June 20, describing it as a major milestone in Ghana’s push for cultural restitution.
According to him, the commitment reflects growing international cooperation and renewed willingness by European partners to engage in the return of artefacts taken during the colonial period.
He also noted that the Foreign Minister of Denmark has issued an apology for the country’s role in the transatlantic enslavement system and pledged support for the preservation of historical castles linked to that era.
Mr. Ablakwa said the developments form part of wider efforts to promote historical truth, acknowledge past injustices, and ensure such events are not repeated.
He added that Ghana welcomes the progress being made, especially following the adoption of a Ghana-led United Nations resolution on cultural restitution.
“We applaud the positive conduct of restitution we are beginning to witness from our international partners in Europe since the adoption of the historic Ghana-led UN Resolution,” he stated.
