Ghana has secured commitments from several European countries to return cultural artefacts taken from the continent and support ongoing efforts toward reparatory justice, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has announced.

Speaking at the Traditional Durbar and Juneteenth Commemoration on Friday, June 19, Mr Ablakwa said the commitments were among the key outcomes of the recently concluded Next Steps Reparatory Justice Conference in Accra.

According to the minister, the Netherlands has catalogued 2,000 artefacts in its possession and decided to return them to Ghana. He disclosed that Dutch officials made a symbolic presentation of the artefacts to President John Dramani Mahama during the conference.

Mr Ablakwa said the catalogue of the artefacts has been attached as the first annex to the conference's outcome document.

He also revealed that Germany has formally declared its intention to return artefacts it has identified in its possession.

The minister further announced that Denmark has pledged to collaborate with Ghana in preserving historic slave forts and castles linked to Danish colonial rule, including the Osu Castle.

He said the initiative is aimed at preserving the sites, promoting historical truth-telling and ensuring the events associated with the transatlantic slave trade are properly documented.

Mr Ablakwa additionally disclosed that French President Emmanuel Macron has committed to supporting efforts to locate African cultural artefacts held abroad through the establishment of a scientific commission.

According to him, the commission will help identify the whereabouts of artefacts, determine who holds them and facilitate their return to their countries of origin.

He said the commitments from the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and France demonstrate that the Accra conference produced concrete outcomes in advancing the campaign for reparatory justice.

Mr Ablakwa described the conference as a significant step forward, saying it had delivered tangible results beyond discussions and declarations.