Ghana has secured commitments from several European countries to return looted cultural artefacts and support efforts toward reparatory justice, with the Netherlands announcing plans to return 2,000 artefacts catalogued in its possession.

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, described the development as one of the key outcomes of the recently concluded Next Steps Reparatory Justice Conference held in Accra, saying the gathering had moved beyond dialogue to deliver tangible results.

Speaking at the Traditional Durbar and Juneteenth Commemoration on Friday, June 19, Mr. Ablakwa disclosed that the Dutch government had already made a symbolic presentation of the artefacts to President John Dramani Mahama.

“What should excite all of us is the other achievements that we have documented in this Next Steps conference. At this conference we received great news from the Dutch government that they have catalogued 2,000 artifacts that they have decided to return to their motherland and they carried out a symbolic presentation last night to President John Dramani Mahama.”

According to the Foreign Affairs Minister, the catalogue of the 2,000 artefacts has been attached to the conference's outcome document as its first annex.

He further revealed that Germany has also committed to returning cultural artefacts in its possession.

“The second attachment is a declaration by the government of Germany to also return artifacts that they have identified and are willing to return to their motherland.”

Mr. Ablakwa also announced that Denmark has pledged to partner Ghana in preserving the country's historic slave forts and castles, particularly the Osu Castle, which was built during Danish colonial rule.

“The foreign minister of Denmark announced during this conference that the Danish government has decided to work with all of us in our coalition, the government of Ghana, to preserve this castle and all the castles that they built during that dark period to help to memorialize, to ensure that there is truth telling and to guarantee non-repetition.”

He said the preservation initiative would help document the transatlantic slave trade, promote historical truth-telling and ensure such atrocities are never repeated.

The Minister also disclosed that French President Emmanuel Macron had committed to supporting Ghana and its partners in tracing African cultural artefacts currently held abroad.

“We have also heard from French President Emmanuel Macron who has also announced that France will work with our coalition to establish a scientific commission so that where our artifacts are located, who is keeping them, who is hiding them, we can find all of them and return them to their motherland and also work together to ensure that reparatory justice in all of its forms is secured in our lifetime.”

Mr. Ablakwa said the commitments demonstrate that the Accra conference has achieved significant progress in advancing the global campaign for reparatory justice.

“So I am happy to note that the Accra Next Steps conference has not been a mere talk show. It has delivered beyond expectation. There are concrete outcomes that we have all seen and witnessed.”