Experts to advise President Macron to return African artworks held in French museums
French President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to meet experts on Friday, who are expected to advise him to allow the return of thousands of African artworks held in French museums.
The move is considered as a radical shift in policy by the European nation, and could put pressure on other former colonial powers to follow suit.
African countries have for years been calling on former colonial powers to return stolen artworks with little success.
French laws strictly forbid the government from ceding state property, even in well-documented cases of pillaging.
Macron however hinted at changing that during a trip to Burkina Faso in November 2016, where he said “Africa’s heritage cannot just be in European private collections and museums.”
He later asked French art historian Benedicte Savoy and Senegalese writer Felwine Sarr to study the matter, and they are to present Macron with their report on Friday.
AFP reports that they recommend amending French law to allow the restitution of cultural works if bilateral accords are struck between France and African states.
The change would apply in particular to works held in museums which were “transferred from their original territory during the French colonial period,” the report said.
