Senegal’s President inaugurates long-awaited Museum of Black Civilizations in Dakar

After 52 years of waiting, Senegal finally inaugurates new Museum of Black Civilizations in its capital city Dakar on December 6. The idea was proposed by Senegal’s first President Léopold Sédar Senghor half a century ago.

Sprawling across an area of 14,000 sq m with a capacity of over 18,000 pieces of art, the Museum of Black Civilizations will be utilized for the conservation of cultural values of the black people and for the presentation of Africa to the world. It follows calls from Senegal and other African countries for France to return art it looted during the colonial era, BBC reported.

The museum inaugurated by Senegal’s President Macky Sall in Dakar on December 6 is inspired by the circular traditional homes native to Southern Senegal. The size is reportedly comparable to the National Museum of African American History and Culture located in Washington.

Although construction was halted due to political transition, the project was restarted by President Macky Sall in 2013 obviously with the influx of mammoth amount of $34 million from China. This is another example of China’s rapidly permeating economic presence across Africa. The museum is likely to open to the public in next week.

Senegal government requested France in November this year to return 100 pieces of looted arts. France President Emmanuel Macron has ordered 26 Benin artefacts to be returned to its original country.