Netherlands and Germany to Return 2,000 Looted Artefacts to Ghana

The governments of the Netherlands and Germany have announced plans to return about 2,000 looted artefacts and culturally significant items to Ghana as part of ongoing efforts to restore historical treasures taken during the colonial era.

The announcement was made at the Next Steps Conference, where ambassadors from both countries officially presented a catalogue of the artefacts to Ghana’s President, John Dramani Mahama, during a plenary session.

German Ambassador Frederik Landshöft and representatives of both governments described the move as an important step toward addressing historical injustices linked to colonialism.

Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, confirmed the development in a Facebook post on June 20, describing it as a major achievement in Ghana’s campaign for the return of cultural artefacts.

According to Ablakwa, the decision reflects growing international cooperation and a stronger commitment by European countries to return artefacts taken from African nations during the colonial period.

He also revealed that Denmark’s Foreign Minister has apologised for the country’s role in the transatlantic slave trade and pledged support for preserving historical castles connected to that period.

Ablakwa said these actions form part of broader efforts to acknowledge historical wrongs, promote truth, and ensure such events are never repeated.

He welcomed the progress being made and noted that it follows 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