Objectives:
Belgium proposed the establishment of a joint committee composed of experts from both countries on an equal basis, starting in 2022. The two countries are proposed to form a joint research committee to examine belongings that may have been looted during the colonial era.
Restitution Measures:
In February 2022, the AfricaMuseum in Belgium handed over a list of some 84,000 artifacts in its inventory to the DRC. In 2022, Belgium passed a restitution law, allowing for returns to former Belgian colonies once bilateral agreements are concluded.
Framework Limitations:
The committee’s effectiveness depends on bilateral cooperation and political will between both nations. Success relies on completing complex provenance research across 84,000 objects, requiring sustained funding beyond the initial four-year period. The framework addresses only Belgian-held collections, excluding Congolese artifacts in other countries’ museums and private collections.
