Mozambique is demanding the return of at least 800 artefacts looted during the colonial period, joining a broader African movement demanding restitution for stolen cultural heritage.
Speaking during Africa Day celebrations on Sunday, Education Minister Samaria Tovele noted the need for historical reparations through cultural and symbolic means.
“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.
“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.
She said the ongoing reparations push is expected to culminate in an extraordinary African Union summit later this year, with participation from leaders across the continent and the Caribbean.
JN/APA