A French government official recently said that the return of three artifacts to Ethiopia was a diplomatic transfer, not a return.
On November 30, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrow handed over two handfuls to Ethiopian Tourism Minister Selamawit Kassa at a symbolic ceremony held at the Ethiopian National Museum in the capital Addis Ababa. Prehistoric stone axe, bifacial stone and a stone knife.
The objects, which are between one million and two million years old, come from excavations at the prehistoric site Melka Kunture, directed by French researcher Jean Chavaillon. The three items are part of some 3,500 items stored at the French Embassy in Addis Ababa.
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Laurent Serrano, cultural adviser at the French embassy, said: “This is a transfer, not a return, as these objects have never been part of the French public collection.” arab news.
Serrano added: “The artifacts, which date back between 1 and 2 million years ago, were discovered during decades of excavations at a site near the Ethiopian capital.”
On December 2, these three cultural relics were officially handed over to the Ethiopian Heritage Administration.
At the Nov. 30 ceremony, Barrow also announced a new €7 million ($7.35 million) project called “Sustainable Heritage in Ethiopia.” The project will promote Ethiopia’s historical sites through collaboration between researchers, local authorities and communities, French magazine reports interview.
The French government has also invested 25 million euros ($26.25 million) over the past two years to finance the renovation of the Ethiopian National Palace, which is now a museum.
The two countries have a 127-year-old bilateral archaeological and paleontological cooperation agreement. However, despite French President Emmanuel Macron announcing plans to return African heritage to the continent in November 2017, there has been a lack of progress in the seven years since and frustration has grown. As of December 2, the country’s National Assembly had not scheduled a date to debate a bill on the colonial project.
