France to return African treasures to Benin

French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday agreed to return 26 cultural artefacts to Benin "without delay", a move that could put pressure on other former colonial powers to return African artworks to their countries of origin. The decision -- which Macron said should not be seen as an isolated or symbolic case -- came as the president received the findings of a study he commissioned on repatriating African treasures held by French museums. Macron agreed to return the 26 works, mainly royal statues from the Palaces of Abomey -- formerly the capital of the kingdom of Dahomey -- taken by the French army during a war in 1892 and now in Paris' Quai Branly museum.

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