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France returns 26 artworks looted from Benin 130 years ago

Until now the artefacts have been on display in a museum in Paris, along with other artwork stolen from Africa.

La rédaction de Mediapart

10 November 2021 à 16h13

This article is freely available.

France on Tuesday handed over 26 artefacts that were looted from Benin in Africa, a former French colony in the 19th century, reports The Independent.

Benin's president Patrice Talon and culture minister Jean-Michel Abimbola travelled to Paris and signed an agreement on Tuesday to bring home the artefacts.

The artworks were taken away in 1892 from Benin's Palaces of Abomey, which is presently a UNESCO World Heritage site. However, these are only a part of the 5,000 artefacts that Benin is demanding back from France.

The artworks have been on display in a museum in Paris, alongside thousands of other artefacts taken from Africa.

Mr Talon said he felt an "overwhelming emotion" while receiving the objects.

Read more of this report from The Independent.

La rédaction de Mediapart

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