Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty has directed Egyptian embassies to intensify their efforts to repatriate Egyptian artifacts that were smuggled or illegally transported abroad.
This directive was issued during a meeting between the Foreign Minister and officials from the Ministry’s Cultural Department, according to a statement released by the Foreign Ministry.
In the statement, Abdelatty emphasized: “It is essential to galvanize efforts aimed at recovering artifacts that were illegally smuggled out of the country.”
Egyptian diplomats must engage in official consultations with respective governments in countries housing smuggled artifacts to discuss legal frameworks and international cooperation for their return, he said.
This directive is part of a broader national campaign to reclaim Egypt’s lost heritage.
Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Sherif Fathy, previously revealed that Egypt has successfully recovered approximately 30,000 artifacts over the past decade through legal and diplomatic channels.
Egypt’s recent diplomatic push is part of a sophisticated, multi-year strategy to protect its cultural identity.
Three key pillars of Egypt’s efforts:
- Active monitoring: A specialized department tracks international auctions and digital platforms to identify and block the sale of illegally excavated artifacts.
- Legal basis: Egypt utilizes international treaties, specifically the 1970 UNESCO Convention, to demand the return of items lacking documented ownership or legal export permits.
- Proven success: These diplomatic and legal efforts have successfully recovered tens of thousands of items, including major sarcophagi, while pushing for the return of world-famous iconic treasures such as the Rosetta Stone at the British Museum and the Bust of Nefertiti at the Berlin Museum.
