Macron's decision brings the issue of looted artifacts back to the forefront... the most prominent African treasures in European museums

Written by: Mohammed Omran

Amid assurances from French President Emmanuel Macron that the path to restoring Antiquities The looting of African artifacts during the colonial era has become irreversible. This issue has returned to the forefront of international debate once again, as it is one of the issues most closely related to the colonial legacy in the African continent, where French museum warehouses hold about 67,000 looted artifacts from African countries occupied by Paris.

Discover the most prominent African artifacts looted during the colonial era.

These developments coincided with legislative steps within France aimed at facilitating the recovery of artifacts and their return to their countries of origin, which opens the door to re-highlighting the size of these collections and what they represent in terms of historical and cultural value for African peoples, about 9 years after the idea was first proposed.

Paris sees the move as part of a “historical reconciliation” process with African countries, amid growing official and popular demands for the return of cultural heritage transferred during the colonial era, especially from West and Central African countries.

Observers believe that the law, despite its symbolic importance, still needs clear implementation mechanisms and broader guarantees to accelerate the return of the thousands of artifacts that are still kept in French museums, most notably the Quai Branly Museum – Jacques Chirac Museum and the Louvre Museum.

France possesses a large number of African artifacts that were taken from their countries of origin during the colonial era, and a large part of them is still subject to international dispute over restitution, as only a limited number of these artifacts have been returned so far. This report highlights the most prominent stolen artifacts.

In Benin, the former Kingdom of Dahomey was the most prominent source of these artifacts, with hundreds of pieces seized in 1892 during the French invasion, including thrones, statues and ritual objects. Although 26 pieces were returned in 2021, the majority remain in French museums.

In Nigeria, the Benin Bronzes are among the most historically significant looted artifacts. They were taken out in 1897 during a British military campaign and later moved to European museums. Thousands of pieces remain outside the country to this day and have not been fully recovered.

In Mali and Burkina Faso, there are large collections of ritual masks and statues belonging to local cultures such as the Dogon and Bambara, which were taken out during the French colonial period, and a large part of them are still preserved in European museums without a comprehensive recovery.

There are also Egyptian artifacts in French museums, including pharaonic statues, mummies and funerary objects, which were brought out through excavation missions during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and some of them are still on display in major museums such as the Louvre.

In Sudan, there are Nubian artifacts and archaeological finds that left during the colonial periods, and some of them are still outside the country in various European museums.

In Algeria and Tunisia, there are Roman and Islamic inscriptions and architectural pieces that were taken during the French colonial period and are still present in French museums today, despite ongoing demands for their return.

Historical records indicate that most of these artifacts were taken out through military campaigns or excavations during the colonial period, and only a limited portion of them has been recovered, while the majority remain in Europe, especially France, awaiting legal and diplomatic settlements.

French President Emmanuel Macron stressed that the process of returning looted African artifacts has become “irreversible,” after it was established within legal frameworks that guarantee its continuity and accelerate the procedures for recovering cultural pieces and returning them to their countries of origin.

Macron stressed that any future attempts within France to disrupt or reverse this course will fail, even if political forces adopting isolationist policies come to power, noting that the decision has become an institutional commitment that transcends political and governmental changes.

Macron's remarks came during the opening of the French-African summit in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, where he explained that the path of rebuilding relations with African countries, including the issue of recovering cultural property, is now immune to setbacks.