(MENAFN) Twenty-one ancient Egyptian artifacts, which had been smuggled out of the country, have been successfully recovered from Australia, Egypt's Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday.

The ministry stated that Egyptian diplomatic missions in Canberra and Sydney collaborated with Australian authorities to secure the retrieval of the items, which were being displayed at an auction house.

According to the statement, the return of these artifacts aligns with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Egypt and Australia, underscoring their joint efforts in safeguarding cultural heritage and combating the illicit trade of antiquities.

The ministry emphasized Egypt's significant dedication to preserving its heritage, with the Foreign Ministry playing a vital role, in conjunction with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the Supreme Council of Antiquities, in the recovery of smuggled artifacts.

In recent years, Egypt has stepped up its international efforts to reclaim stolen and smuggled antiquities. Just this Monday, the country announced the recovery of 25 historically and artistically valuable artifacts from the United States, representing various eras of ancient Egyptian civilization.

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