France: New bill for the return of colonial-era artifacts

France is taking a more decisive step towards returning African cultural heritage with a new bill simplifying the process of returning artifacts acquired during the colonial period. Minister of Culture Rachida Dati presented the bill, which allows for the declassification of objects removed by force or without legal consent, provided there is an official request from a state and assurance of their preservation and public display.

The bill covers the period from 1815-1972, and each case will be assessed by a bilateral scientific committee, with the final decision belonging to the Conseil d'Etat. Countries such as Ivory Coast, Algeria, Mali, Benin, Madagascar, and Ethiopia have already expressed interest.

The new framework aims to simplify the repatriation process, which until now required the passage of a separate law for each case. However, the political climate remains difficult, with the colonial past remaining a taboo subject and the rise of far-right voices.

The bill is expected to pass through the Senate in September.