Ghana and Russia team up to take on Europe over Africa’s stolen treasures

The deliberations focused on enhancing bilateral cooperation across key sectors, including commerce, investment, education, and humanitarian exchanges, as well as securing Russia’s support for Ghana’s reparations initiative.

As mentioned, the subject of reparations was deliberated during the bilateral meeting, after which Samuel Ablakwa told the media during a press conference that Ghana’s fight is now being assisted by Russia.

Minister Ablakwa announced that Ghana is organizing a major international summit dedicated to the restitution of African cultural heritage, an initiative for which the Russian government has pledged its support.

“We are going to host a very consequential summit on restitution, the return of African artifacts which remain in possession of a lot of European countries… they are making money out of it and refusing to return them,” he said as reported by Sputnik.

The Ghanaian minister also stated that Russia will cooperate with Ghana during the summit, which is scheduled to coincide with the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

“Russia has agreed to work with us as we host that important summit on restitution in the margins of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.”

The drive comes as Ghana, under President John Mahama, prioritizes reparatory justice and the recovery of African cultural property on its international agenda.

Accra has increasingly advocated that compensation should be part of a larger effort to redress the historical impacts of slavery, colonialism, and the appropriation of African cultural assets.

Restitution goes beyond Ghanaian artifacts, with African governments and cultural organizations requesting the return of things plundered during the colonial era and now housed in museums, private collections, and other institutions throughout Europe and beyond.

Ghana’s alliance with Russia might give the campaign a new diplomatic dimension, especially as Moscow wants to enhance its political and economic ties in Africa.

The conversations in Moscow also highlighted Russia’s desire to extend its commercial presence in Ghana, implying that the two nations are looking to widen their connection beyond traditional diplomatic ties.

‘We are ready to provide Africans with necessary support,” Lavrov stated.

The conversations illustrate the growing breadth of Ghana-Russia relations, with both nations seeking collaboration not just in commerce and investment, but also in African cultural restitution, regional security, and the continent’s larger diplomatic agendas.