Slavery: Paris, Berlin, and The Hague ready to return artifacts, according to Accra

France, Germany, and the Netherlands have expressed their willingness to return looted cultural property, according to Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa. He made these remarks on Wednesday, September 23, in New York during a meeting on reparations related to the transatlantic slave trade, held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

The United Kingdom and Portugal have also offered their support, while the United States has indicated its readiness to collaborate with the initiative led by Ghana, the minister added. However, these positions have not yet materialized into a formal joint commitment or a timeline for restitution.

Accra aims to make the return of artifacts the first step in its campaign. Subsequent demands outlined in the 19-point plan adopted in June by the African Union and the Caribbean Community Reparations Commission include official apologies, debt relief, and financial compensation.

This development comes six months after the adoption of a resolution spearheaded by Ghana, which characterizes the transatlantic slave trade and the racial enslavement of Africans as the gravest crime against humanity. The resolution received 123 votes in favor, three against, and 52 abstentions, including from members of the European Union and the United Kingdom.