Ghana Hosts ECOWAS Workshop On Restitution Of African Cultural Property

Ghana’s capital city is hosting a landmark regional workshop focused on the return of African cultural property looted during the colonial era.

The event, organized by ECOWAS, opened today at the Coconut Grove Hotel in Accra with dignitaries and cultural experts from across West Africa in attendance.

In her opening remarks, Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts and Member of Parliament of Ketu South Constituency, welcomed delegates on behalf of H.E. President John Dramani Mahama and described the workshop as “a call for a long-overdue reckoning.”

“We are gathered to find strategies to confront the pains of our past and to ensure that our collective future is built on justice, restoration, and the dignity we have long been denied,” she stated.

The workshop builds on the ECOWAS Action Plan (2019–2023), which was endorsed by regional leaders to facilitate the return of looted artefacts, establish legal frameworks, and promote stakeholder cooperation.

The Minister reflected on the devastating impact of slavery and colonial exploitation, noting that countless cultural items, including royal regalia, sacred artefacts, and ancestral symbols, were removed from Africa and now reside in foreign institutions. “These are not just objects; they are vessels of memory,” she emphasized.

Dr. Roland Kouakou, Acting Director of Education, Science and Culture at ECOWAS, also delivered a keynote, expressing gratitude to Ghana for hosting the event and emphasizing the need to mobilize youth and foster African unity.

“We are linked to our history, and we need to come together to assess progress, distribute tasks, and adopt a collective roadmap,” Dr. Kouakou stated.

Participants will deliberate on next steps to accelerate restitution efforts and ensure the cultural heritage of ECOWAS Member States is reclaimed and preserved for future generations.

The workshop brought together a wide range of stakeholders including: Dr. Emile Zida, Head, Culture Division, ECOWAS, distinguished Members of the ECOWAS Regional Advocacy Committee for the Return of Cultural Property, Directors of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Ghana, Heads of Agencies under the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Ghana, Representatives from ECOWAS Member States, Cultural heritage expert among others.

The event served as a collaborative platform for experience sharing, strategic planning, and reaffirmation of regional commitment to the restitution of African cultural property.