Participants at a closing of a capacity building training for lawyers have urged ECOWAS to accelerate the establishment of a system for a regional list of cultural heritage.
They also called on ECOWAS to encourage States to implement the Commission’s regional action plan at the national level.
ECOWAS, through the Department of Human Development and Social Affairs, organized a training of lawyers from Member States on the procedures for the restitution of cultural property and the review by heritage directors of the ECOWAS Action Plan 2019-2023 on the return of cultural property to its countries of origin.
The training organised from July 10 to July 15, 2023, in Accra, was part of the implementation of the ECOWAS Action Plan (2019-2023) on the restitution of cultural property to its countries of origin by holding countries. The event was to build the capacity of lawyers involved in the action of Member States in terms of procedures on restitution issues and set up a database and a capital of expertise in the field of restitution of cultural property in the Member States.
It was also to make available to States a protocol on the procedures, steps and tools for the restitution of cultural property actions.
Mrs. Sunday Emiem Nseno, Chairperson of the Expert Committee on Restitution of Stolen Goods from Africa, presenting the training recommendations, said ECOWAS needed to institute a capacity building for heritage lawyers every year with a view to creating a bank of expertise on legal issues in the region.
“ECOWAS needs to clarify and strengthen the role of the Regional Committee in monitoring the action plan, including national actions,” she said.
She called on ECOWAS to set up a digital system (platform) for pooling resources on restitutions and mobilize the States holders in the fight against illicit trafficking to trigger dialogue with them to be prepared to return them.
On the recommendation for Member States, Mrs Nseno said they needed to update legislation and regulations relating to heritage protection to take into account the restitution of cultural property and developments in intangible heritage;
She said Member States had to take steps for consultation with a view to harmonizing positions on the issue of restitution to all decision-making bodies at the continental or international level in accordance with the common position of the Heads of State and Government;
“Establish mechanisms for inventorying cultural property held abroad and sensitize communities on the restitution of cultural property,” he added.
Mr Mark Okraku-Mantey, the Deputy Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, said the workshop had been an incredible journey of knowledge sharing, reflection and collaborative efforts towards achieving justice and healing for our sub-region.
He commended the ECOWAS Commission for putting together the training programme, which would go a long way to help steer the process to retrieve what belongs to the people of Africa.
He expressed the hope that the Action Plan which has been discussed and reviewed would be implemented to the letter.
The Minister urged participants to engage in constructive conversations that could pave the way for the return of the stolen treasures and the restoration of the cultural heritage.
Let us, however, be clear that this journey will not be without its challenges. As we learnt during the workshop, our biggest challenge is taking inventory of our stolen items, ratification of various conventions dealing with reparation and restitution, as well as, the implementation of existing laws in reparation and restitution.
He said the government was committed to supporting the efforts for restitution and reparation.
“We will work tirelessly to establish strong legal frameworks, foster international collaborations and advocate for the return of our stolen treasures,” he added.