Netherlands and Germany to return 2,000 looted Artefacts to Ghana

Tuesday, June 23, 2026
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 items of cultural significance to Ghana as part of ongoing international restitution efforts.

The announcement was made during the Next Steps Conference, where ambassadors of both countries presented a catalogue of the artefacts scheduled for repatriation to President John Dramani Mahama at the plenary session.

Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa confirmed the development in a Facebook post: "The Government of Ghana welcomes the commendable announcement from the Netherlands and Germany during the Next Steps Conference that they are ready to return about 2,000 looted artefacts and items of cultural significance back to Ghana.

Ambassadors of the Netherlands and Germany presented a catalogue of the treasures being returned to President John Mahama during the conference’s plenary.
The Foreign Minister of Denmark also apologized for their role in the transatlantic enslavement and pledged to help preserve the castles they built as a good faith effort to prevent historical erasure, promote truth telling and guarantee non-repetition.
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."
Main Image: German Ambassador H.E. Frederik Landshöft presenting a catalogue of artefacts to President John Dramani Mahama