France fast-tracks African art return in new heritage bill
"France has not finished mourning its colonial past. That's one of the challenges of restitution", Senator Pierre Ouzoulias stated.
READ MORE : http://www.africanews.com/2025/08/05/france-proposes-bill-to-expedite-return-of-colonial-goods-8-years-after-macron-pledge
Subscribe on our Dailymotion channel and receive all the latest news from the continent.
Africanews is available in English and French. Website : www.africanews.com Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/africanews.channel/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/africanews
00:01France has proposed a new bill to fast-track the return of African artifacts that have been illegally taken from its former colonies.
00:11The proposal is long awaited since French President Emmanuel Macron declared in 2017 that he would make the return of African artifacts a top priority for his government in the next five years.
00:23The Minister of Culture submitted the law on July 30, and if passed, it will allow the French government to approve by decree the return of cultural property without parliament approval, a move that could cut down processing times by years.
00:40However, the bill establishes other complex requirements that slow down returns, French legislators said.
00:47Countries need to provide adequate documentation to a bilateral scientific committee that their artifact was stolen, looted or sold under duress between 1815 and 1972.
01:01France will not return any military items, public archives or objects found during archaeological digs.
01:09The Senate is expected to vote on the new bill on September 24.
Be the first to comment