French National Assembly votes to return 26 looted artefacts to Benin and Senegal

On Tuesday, the French Assemblée Nationale made a landmark decision by unanimously endorsing the return of 26 artefacts to Benin and Senegal, aligning with President Emmanuel Macron's goal to reclaim looted African heritage. These artefacts include a royal throne and statues taken from the Abomey palace in 1892, now held at the Musée du Quai Branly, and a sword tied to Omar Saidou Tall, which has been lent to the Museum of Black Civilisations in Dakar since November 2020. The bill is set to advance to the Senate. This move follows Macron's 2017 remarks in Ouagadougou and a report that indicates around 90,000 African artefacts reside in French museums. Concerns have emerged over how this impacts French cultural property laws. Beninese President Patrice Talon called it a 'small step,' emphasizing the need for a thorough inventory for global restitution. An op-ed in Libération criticized the bill, noting it only represents 0.8% of artefacts from Benin and 0.008% from Senegal.