Across East Africa, criminals are not just exploiting regulatory gaps to siphon public funds and smuggle natural resources, they are also trafficking antiquities—funneling stolen cultural goods into international markets. These crimes undermine security, hinder economic development, and disrupt future generations’ access to cultural heritage.

On July 9, the Antiquities Coalition and Transparency Advocacy, an organization combating transnational organized crime, illicit financial flows, and corruption based in Uganda, convened experts from across East Africa for the first installment of a new webinar series spotlighting the region’s fight against antiquities trafficking and illicit financial flows. The conversation revealed insight into the scale of the crisis and examples of leadership emerging from within the region—despite the uphill fight against corruption, conflict, and weak legal frameworks.

Panelists included Tabitha Agaba, Project Manager at Transparency Advocacy; George Juma Ondeng, Activist and Co-Founder of the Invisible Inventories Programme; and Abdiwahab Ahmed, Founding Director of Hayaan Heritage. Together, they delivered a powerful message: cultural racketeering in East Africa is not just a legacy of colonialism—it is a living threat that continues to rob communities of their cultural heritage.

Speakers emphasized that cultural goods are trafficked like any other illicit commodity—and must be treated accordingly by national and international law enforcement. Law enforcement officers in the region often lack training and awareness about cultural property crimes. Compounding this problem is the region’s limited adoption and implementation of international agreements. 

Local Leaders, Global Relevance

Despite these systemic challenges, regional leaders are stepping up. Tabitha Agaba of Transparency Advocacy in Uganda is working to raise awareness about how the range of illicit flows, including cultural goods, is undermining economic stability and security in the region. She emphasized, however, that this is not just a matter of stolen goods, but stolen heritage.  

George Juma Ondeng detailed the successes of the Invisible Inventories Programme, now compiling data on Kenyan artifacts in Western museums, building a foundation for future restitution efforts and international museum collaboration.  

Abdiwahab Ahdmed of Hayaan Heritage—an organization dedicated to preserving, promoting, and celebrating the rich heritage of Somalia—celebrated the success of these locally-led initiatives and called for more institutional support, public awareness, and capacity building for this work. 

The Road Ahead

So what are the next steps?

• Ratify the 1970 UNESCO Convention: Many countries in the region have not yet ratified the 1970 UNESCO Convention on deterring the illicit transfer of cultural property. This foundational step enables countries to better protect their cultural property and open international collaborations.
• Train law enforcement and customs officials: The law is only as strong as its enforcement. Speakers emphasized the need for national and municipal law enforcement training to broaden awareness of legal frameworks and cultural objects at risk. 
• Build inventories and databases: As seen in Kenya with the Invisible Inventories Programme, knowing what was taken is the first step to getting it back.
• Foster international solidarity: Organizations across East Africa are doing remarkable work—but, as these are transnational crimes, enduring solutions require regional and international cooperation.
  

The Antiquities Coalition commends the leadership of Transparency Advocacy, the Invisible Inventories Programme, and Hayaan Heritage for advancing the fight against cultural racketeering. Their work is a reminder that protecting our shared heritage requires not only policy, but partnership.

As we continue this webinar series, we invite governments, museums, law enforcement, and civil society worldwide to listen, learn, and join in building a future where cultural heritage is protected—not plundered.

Stay tuned for the next installment in our Illicit Financial Flows and Antiquities Trafficking in East Africa webinar series.

For more than two decades, the U.S.–Cambodia Cultural Property Agreement (CPA) has served as a model of how cross-border cooperation can protect vulnerable heritage, keep stolen artifacts out of the U.S. market, and safeguard responsible collectors, dealers, and museums. 

In 2003, the Royal Kingdom of Cambodia and the United States signed this memorandum of understanding, marking a significant step in the global fight against the illicit trade in antiquities. The agreement commits both nations to working together to combat the looting and trafficking of cultural heritage. It builds on emergency import restrictions first enacted in 1999—as Cambodia was recovering from decades of civil war, genocide, and foreign occupation. 

The Antiquities Coalition was proud to join the U.S.-ASEAN Center on June 30 for the panel discussion “Advancing Regional Cooperation to Protect Cultural Heritage: Insights from the U.S.–Cambodia Cultural Property Agreement.” AC Policy Advisor Steve Epstein participated alongside leading voices in cultural heritage protection, including Glen Davis, Director of the U.S. Department of State’s Cultural Heritage Center (CHC); Emma Stein, Associate Curator of Southeast and South Asian Art at the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art (NMAA); Annalisa Bolin, Regional Analyst at the Cultural Heritage Center; and Deputy Chief of Mission Oum Socheat of the Royal Embassy of Cambodia to the United States.

Panelists reflected on how the U.S.–Cambodia CPA has advanced both cultural protection and international partnership. In his remarks, CHC Director Glen Davis highlighted the agreement’s success not only in deterring looting and trafficking, but also in fostering cultural exchange. Since its signing, the agreement has helped facilitate the return of over 145 stolen cultural objects, while also laying the groundwork for educational exchanges, long-term object loans, and joint exhibitions—including an upcoming Smithsonian NMAA collaborative exhibition announced during the event.

Deputy Chief of Mission Oum Socheat emphasized the shared responsibility of cultural heritage protection. He praised the CPA for demonstrating that safeguarding heritage is a “two-way street,” and urged that the lessons learned through the U.S.–Cambodia partnership should inspire similar efforts across Southeast Asia, stating,

“The United States also has a responsibility to ensure that its art market is not complicit in the trade of looted artifacts. This lesson may extend across Southeast Asia and beyond. Cambodia’s experience can inform similar efforts in our neighbors’ countries facing loss of heritage through looting and illicit trade.”

Key takeaways: 

• The U.S.–Cambodia CPA is a first step toward a broader regional solution for cultural heritage protection.
  
• The illicit trade in cultural property is a transnational crime and requires a transnational response. CPAs are most effective when adopted across a region, closing backdoor loopholes.
• Regional groups like ASEAN and standard-setting institutions like the Smithsonian NMAA are in full support of these collaborative efforts to protect cultural heritage. 

The Antiquities Coalition applauds the United States and the Kingdom of Cambodia for their sustained work to protect cultural heritage for future generations and looks forward to our continued collaboration in the fight against cultural racketeering. 

Learn more about CPAs, here.

Follow the work of the U.S.-ASEAN Center. 

South and Southeast Asia are emerging as powerful leaders in the global fight against cultural racketeering. Building on existing commitments, such as those by ASEAN, countries across the region continue to shape solutions to protect heritage and support communities impacted by looting and trafficking.

On June 16-18, heritage professionals came together in Lalitpur, Nepal, to issue the Lalitpur Call to International Action for the Return of Stolen Heritage, stating:

“We believe it is our common responsibility to raise the voice of the voiceless communities that have seen and continue to face loss of heritage.”

This powerful statement emerged as the key outcome of the International Conference on the Recovery of Cultural Heritage, hosted by the Nepal Heritage Recovery Campaign (NHRC) and Nepal’s Department of Archaeology in Kathmandu. The conference convened global experts, government officials, and advocates to explore how the return of sacred antiquities contributes to justice, healing, and reconciliation for communities affected by cultural plunder.

A theme across the conference: repatriation offers more than the return of stolen heritage—it creates opportunities for collaboration and sparks vital conversations about living heritage. Too often, these discussions are often missing from traditional policy debates, particularly in Asian contexts. Digging to the root of the problem, conference attendees agreed that cultural racketeering is best combated in market countries, where demand is high. 

The Antiquities Coalition was honored to join these important dialogues. Through participation in panel discussions and workshops, AC Director of Programs Helena Arose engaged with partners from across the globe to advance shared solutions, highlight effective policy models, and strengthen cooperation in the fight against cultural racketeering.

The Lalitpur Call to International Action for the Return of Stolen Heritage is a rallying point for all committed to protecting cultural heritage. The declaration deserves to be shared widely—and its principles put into practice. The Antiquities Coalition encourages governments, institutions, and individuals alike to read the declaration and support the vital efforts of the Nepal Heritage Recovery Campaign.

Read the Lalitpur Call to International Action for the Return of Stolen Heritage.

The Nepal Heritage Recovery Campaign has become a global model for action. Through tireless advocacy, community engagement, and international partnerships, the NHRC has helped secure the return of dozens of sacred objects to Nepal, restoring both cultural treasures and the dignity of the communities from which they were taken. Its work demonstrates what is possible when local leadership and global solidarity align.

Learn more about the NHRC here.

A powerful wave of documentary filmmaking on cultural plunder and restitution is bringing forth new ways to share the complex realities of cultural racketeering to new audiences worldwide.

On the margins of the Nepal Heritage Recovery Campaign’s International Conference on the Recovery of Cultural Heritage (16–18 June 2025, Kathmandu), participants gathered for an extraordinary evening of film and dialogue.

At the Nepal screening, panelists and audience members alike—gripped by narratives of cultural racketeering around the globe—were awed by the humanizing depth of the film collection. Four remarkable films were featured:

• Dahomey (2024, dir. Mati Diop)
  This acclaimed documentary traces the return of 26 royal treasures from the Quai Branly Museum in Paris to the Kingdom of Dahomey, in today’s Republic of Benin. The film offers a deeply moving reflection on cultural repatriation and the enduring harms of colonialism and cultural plunder.
• Have You Seen My Gods? (2025, dir. Amitabh Joshi)
  A personal and poignant account of the 1984 theft of the Lakshmi-Narayan statue from Patan, and its return in 2021. The film captures the emotional weight of cultural loss—and the healing power of homecoming.
• Artifact War (2025, dir. Evan Michael Carpenter and Jacob Schwarz)
  The story of Dr. Amr al Azem and his students, who built a system to track the theft and destruction of Syrian antiquities. Their work uncovers a dark web of terror financing, trafficking, and corporate complicity in cultural crimes.
• LOOT: A Story of Crime & Redemption (2025, dir. Don Millar)
  This compelling documentary dives into the criminal networks behind the looting of Cambodian antiquities and the decades-long fight to return them. LOOT highlights the investigative process, including the work of AC Executive Director Tess Davis and partners in pursuing justice and restitution.

Following the screenings, a panel of sector experts explored the role of law, storytelling, and repatriation in the ongoing battle against cultural racketeering. Director of Programs Helena Arose, in concert with heritage law expert Dr. James Reap, legal advocate for Cambodia Bradley Gordon, and Bibhkar Shakya, the heritage specialist leading Nepal’s recovery efforts, shared global perspectives on the successes and ongoing challenges represented in the films.

These rich case studies—brought to life by the documentaries—sparked lively audience discussion, activating collective momentum for a shared cause: protecting cultural heritage for future generations. The takeaway: films like these inspire action, build awareness, and encourage collaboration in the fight against cultural racketeering.

Explore these films and find upcoming screenings: Dahomey (2024), Have You Seen My Gods? (2025), Artifact War (2025), and LOOT: A Story of Crime and Redemption (2025)

In a recent Al Jazeera article, Executive Director Tess Davis underscored the broader implications of the pending Prakhon Chai repatriation, pointing to an enduring colonial mindset lingering in parts of the art world.

Looted from northeastern Thailand more than half a century ago, the “Prakhon Chai Hoard” includes over 100 bronze statues looted in the 1960s. Following escalating investigations into their whereabouts, the Thai government is calling for Western museums to interrogate their collections for looted artifacts and return them. The San Francisco Asian Art Museum is the first and only American museum to restitute its Prakhon Chai artifacts. With 14 more known pieces in other U.S. museums, the battle is far from over.

Met with calls for repatriation, many Western museums assume—mistakenly—that they are better carers, owners, custodians of the material past. However, as Tess says, 

“These antiquities were cared for by [their] communities for centuries, in some cases for millennia, before there was … a market demand for them, leading to their looting and trafficking.”

The infamous art dealer Douglas Latchford, emerging research suggests, likely began his decades-long plunder of Southeast Asia in Thailand. Amidst ongoing investigations into Latchford’s pillage of Cambodian temples, the AC has been pleased to help bring his crimes to light, raising awareness on podcasts, through Op-Eds, on television, and in the global press. 

As more museums face demands for transparency and ethical stewardship, the Antiquities Coalition welcomes this return as a hopeful step forward—and a reminder that true custodianship begins with justice. 

Read the full article from Al Jazeera, here.

Dive deeper into Latchford’s criminal network, here.

Learn more about Cambodia’s recovery of its stolen heritage, here.

High-Level UN Forum, Co-Sponsored by the Antiquities Coalition, Advances Stronger Criminal Justice Responses to Cultural Racketeering

Last week, Ambassador Yasser Elnaggar, member of the Advisory Council of the Antiquities Coalition, joined leaders from government, law enforcement, and civil society for Combating Illicit Trafficking in Cultural Property: Towards Stronger Criminal Justice Frameworks. This high-level convening, co-sponsored by the Antiquities Coalition, was part of the 34th session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ)—the United Nations’ principal policy making body for combating crime and upholding the rule of law. 

In addition to Ambassador Elnaggar, senior representatives spoke from Egypt, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the European Union, as well as the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). These included UNODC Director-General Ghada Waly and H.E. Amira Fahmy, Egypt’s Assistant Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. The participation of such senior officials from across the world and key UN bodies demonstrated a broad international commitment to confronting cultural racketeering as a serious threat to global security, due to its financing of organized crime, armed conflict, and terrorism.

The May 22 event in Vienna, part of the CCPCJ’s annual meeting, marked another step forward in ongoing efforts to fight back against this illicit trade and better protect the multi-billion-dollar art market from criminal exploitation. 

“The CCPCJ has a unique opportunity to make a difference on this issue,” remarked Ambassador Elnaggar. “Such action is especially needed because criminals, as always, are adapting. Today, we are confronting a broader and more complex landscape, in which cultural property is not just exploited by looters and traffickers—but for a wide range of crimes—including corruption, fraud and forgery, money laundering, sanctions and evasion, terrorist financing, and the abuse of offshore jurisdictions, shell companies, and trusts.”

As the international community looks to strengthen up its response, on behalf of the Antiquities Coalition, Ambassador Elnaggar urged the UN, CCPCJ, and all Member States to consider the following five concrete measures: 

• Recognize Cultural Property Crimes as a Security Issue. The international community must continue to reinforce the link between cultural property crimes and global peace and security. UNODC’s acknowledgment of this connection is a critical and welcome development. Member States should lend their full backing.
• Promote a Whole-of-UN Approach. UNESCO’s work is key, but it cannot tackle this crisis alone. Given the growing ties between cultural racketeering, organized crime, and other financial crime, a coordinated response must include UNODC, its legal instruments, and operational arms, in close collaboration with cultural agencies.
• Utilize Existing Legal Instruments. Existing international conventions—particularly the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and Corruption—offer powerful yet underused frameworks for addressing cultural property crimes. 
• Strengthen National Legal Frameworks. Governments too should recognize cultural racketeering as a serious crime, impose meaningful penalties, and integrate antiquities into anti-money laundering regimes. Relevant domestic laws on fraud, terrorism financing, and sanctions evasion should be applied to the art market where appropriate.
• Sustain Global Momentum. Ongoing international engagement is essential. Upcoming forums such as the 11th Conference of the States Parties to the UN Convention against Corruption (Doha, December 2025) and the 15th UN Crime Congress (Abu Dhabi, 2026) should build on this momentum to drive coordinated, long-term solutions.

In closing the forum, Ambassador Elnaggar summed up what is at stake: “This is not just about protecting our past—it is about securing our future. The tools already exist. What we need now is the political will to use them.”

The Antiquities Coalition is grateful to have participated in the 2025 Annual Meeting of the International Scientific Committee on Archaeological Heritage Management (ICAHM), which concluded this weekend in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile. 

Executive Director Tess Davis, Director of Programs Helena Arose, and Professor Emeritus Ian Lilley in their roles as co-chairs of ICAHM’s Illicit Trafficking Working Group led “Process of Plundering and Restitution of Archaeological and Anthropological Collections,” exploring how heritage crimes can be tackled through legal, ethical, and policy reform, with a specific focus on Latin America. 

The panelists’ insights reaffirmed that addressing these challenges requires more than international law—it requires political will, public engagement, and regional leadership. Several key themes emerged:

1. Legal gaps continue to hinder heritage protection. From inconsistent definitions to jurisdictional loopholes, significant weaknesses in international cultural heritage law still frustrate repatriation efforts. One ongoing case, the repatriation of the Ancestors of the Atacameño Lickanamtay people of Chile, underscored ways in which these shortcomings are playing out today.
2. Soft law and complementary legal tools can help—but only with stronger political will. Non-binding instruments like UN declarations and museum guidelines are critical, yet underutilized. Participants stressed the urgent need for greater awareness and commitment from policymakers to animate these tools.
3. Multilateral collaboration and academic research are vital to advancing solutions. Professor Ian Lilley spotlit findings from his G20 Think Tank Policy Brief, “How Can The G20 Best Protect Cultural Heritage? Policy Recommendations To Strengthen Commitment In Support Of Hands-On Action,” offering a practical roadmap for global action that centers ethics, governance, and inclusive policymaking.

The Antiquities Coalition was honored to stand alongside partners from across the Americas—and around the world—in advancing these conversations and will continue to support and amplify this work through the ICAHM Illicit Trafficking Working Group, which remains open to new members committed to protecting cultural heritage from criminal exploitation. 

Watch the AC-led session Process of Plundering and Restitution of Archaeological and Anthropological Collections, here.

On May 13–14, 2015, as violent extremism tore through the Middle East and North Africa, ten nations stood together in a powerful act of resistance—not with weapons, but with a shared pledge to protect their history. 

The Cairo Declaration, announced during the landmark Cairo Conference on “Cultural Property Under Threat,”  marked the first regional action plan of its kind. It committed Egypt and nine other governments to coordinated efforts in combating the looting and destruction of cultural heritage—a tactic weaponized by terrorist groups like ISIS to erase identity and fund violence.

Hosted by the Arab Republic of Egypt and co-sponsored by the Antiquities Coalition, UNESCO, the Middle East Institute, and the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities, the conference was attended by ministers, global heritage experts, law enforcement, archaeologists, and scholars. 

Key outcomes of the conference included:

• Recognition of heritage destruction as a war crime
  
• A call for urgent regional and international cooperation
  
• Support for public awareness campaigns linking antiquities trafficking to terrorism
  
• Commitment to strengthening legal frameworks for cultural protection

One decade later, the Cairo Declaration’s commitments have served as a roadmap for countries confronting cultural racketeering—spurring policy reforms, community education, and international cooperation. Powerful examples of regional cooperation have endured from the second Culture Under Threat Conference’s 2016 Amman Communiqué to the 2021 Manama Statement of Cooperation between the US and Bahrain, and extended as far as Southeast Asia following Cambodia’s pioneering efforts at the 2022 ASEAN Summit. 

As we mark the 10-year anniversary of this pivotal moment, we honor the leadership of those who stood together in 2015—and we reaffirm our shared responsibility to protect the past, for the future.

Read the Cairo Declaration, here.

Revisit insights from the #CultureUnderThreat Task Force, here. 

The Antiquities Coalition is honored to participate in the 2025 Annual Meeting of the International Scientific Committee on Archaeological Heritage Management (ICAHM), now underway in Chile. 

Launched at the Palacio Pereira—headquarters of the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage—the conference opened with a powerful ceremony reflecting Chile’s deep cultural ties to the land and its long-standing commitment to safeguarding archaeological heritage.

The gathering convenes a diverse group of stakeholders: global experts, national authorities, Indigenous communities, and cultural institutions united by a shared goal—ensuring the protection of archaeological sites for future generations. In her opening remarks, Esther Laroche, UNESCO Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, reflected that “here, the notion of heritage is not abstract: it is territory, identity, and culture.” Edgar Colque of the Council of Atacameño Peoples echoed this sentiment, asserting, “Indigenous worldviews are not frozen in the past. They are present, tied to land, and based on relationships…it is a legitimate and profound way of understanding heritage, its value, and its care.”

These insights reflect the real-world focus of this convening: finding results-driven, locally led solutions to protect cultural heritage—solutions that uphold the rule of law, national sovereignty, and respect for communities. These strategies extend beyond heritage preservation, contributing to economic growth and trade, reinforcing national and regional security, and fostering resilient communities. As a longtime advocate for practical, cross-sector collaboration, the Antiquities Coalition is proud to support this mission and contribute U.S. leadership to the effort.

Later this week, the Antiquities Coalition will host the session “Process of Plundering and Restitution of Archaeological and Anthropological Collections,”  led by Executive Director Tess Davis and Director of Programs Helena Arose in their capacity as co-leads of ICAHM’s Illicit Trafficking Working Group. The session will examine how heritage crimes—from looting to money laundering—can be addressed through legal, ethical, and policy reform, with a focus on Latin America.

ICAHM 2025 offers a vital platform to carry that message forward—backed by a regional perspective, shared responsibilities, and a shared determination to protect the past from plunder. 

Tune in to live updates from the conference on BlueSky and Twitter.

Revisit insights about the illicit trade in Central America, shared by Mexico’s Ambassador Javier Díaz de León at CoSP10 in 2023, here.

Read the Annual Meeting program, here.