France will return to Ethiopia about 3,500 archaeological objects that have been in the European country for several decades for study under an agreement, French media report.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, who is visiting Ethiopia, symbolically handed over two hand axes and a stone-cutting tool to the African country's tourism minister during a visit to the national museum, a French news agency reported.
The artifacts are between 1 and 2 million years old and were found in Ethiopia during excavations led by French professor Jean Chavaillon, the agency noted. In the 1980s, they were sent to France for study by agreement of the parties, and on Tuesday they will be handed over in full to the Ethiopian Heritage Authority, the media added.
It is noted that this is a transfer, not a restitution, as the finds have never been included in French state collections.