This news item, although dating from May 2025, shows the efforts of another African country to recover its lost treasures.
“We need to recover all that was stolen from the African continent,” she said, noting that the return of looted artefacts is central to restoring Africa’s cultural identity.
Courtesy British Museum
“Historical reparations can also be done in a symbolic and cultural way, and hence we are organising ourselves to debate how we can appropriate what was stolen from our country, and from the African continent.”
Mozambique’s demand is part of a continental initiative advocating for the repatriation of approximately 3,000 stolen African artefacts held in foreign institutions.
The African Union’s theme of 2025 is “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations”.
Tovele urged African nations to unite in developing policies that support reparations for colonised peoples.
Part of the 800 objects are in museums in Portugal, but also in other European countries.
