Netherlands and Germany to return looted artefacts to Ghana - Ablakwa

• Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa says the Netherlands will return 2,000 catalogued artefacts to Ghana following the “Accra Next Steps” discussions.

• Germany has also identified cultural items from the Kpando traditional area and has expressed readiness to return them to Ghana.

• The move forms part of ongoing international efforts on cultural restitution and Ghana’s push to recover artefacts taken during the colonial era.

Ghana is set to receive looted cultural artefacts from Europe following new commitments by the Dutch and German governments to return historical items taken during the colonial era.

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Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa disclosed that the development was announced during the “Accra Next Steps” and Reparatory Justice discussions held in Accra, describing it as a major breakthrough in Ghana’s cultural restitution efforts.

He further revealed that Germany has also identified cultural items linked to Ghana and is preparing to return them.

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The announcement backs the international momentum around the return of African cultural heritage items taken during colonial rule, a debate that has gained global attention in recent years.

Institutions such as the British Museum, the Louvre, and several German state museums have all been part of ongoing restitution discussions, particularly involving African and Asian collections.

In Ghana, the push for the return of cultural heritage has been strongly supported by government and traditional authorities, especially in relation to artefacts taken during the colonial era and items linked to historic kingdoms such as the Ashanti Empire and other traditional areas.

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The latest commitment by the Netherlands, which includes an estimated 2,000 catalogued artefacts, is one of the largest single returns announced to Ghana in recent times.

The development also follows Ghana’s broader diplomatic campaign on reparatory justice, which has included calls for historical accountability for the transatlantic slave trade and colonial exploitation.