Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof announced during his visit to Egypt that the Netherlands will return a 3,500-year-old statue to Cairo, marking a gesture of cultural restitution between the two nations.

Schoof made the pledge during a joint press conference with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on Sunday, saying the artifact was seized in 2022 after authorities learned of its illegal provenance. The piece had been displayed at an art exhibition in Maastricht before being confiscated.

According to Dutch police, the statue-believed to depict a senior official from the reign of Pharaoh Thutmose III (1479–1425 BC)-was looted from Egypt, likely during the chaos following the 2011 Arab Spring, and later surfaced on the international antiquities market.

A Dutch art dealer voluntarily surrendered the artifact after an anonymous tip alerted investigators about its origin. Experts from Egypt's Ministry of Antiquities have since confirmed its authenticity and historical significance.

The Dutch government said arrangements are underway to transfer the statue to Egypt's embassy in The Hague by the end of the year, though no exact date has been set.

The decision aligns with a broader global trend of European institutions returning looted artifacts to their countries of origin. Both the British Museum and the Louvre have faced similar demands from African and Middle Eastern nations.

Egypt has welcomed the move, calling it a“positive example of international cooperation in cultural heritage protection” and urging other nations to follow suit by restoring artifacts taken during colonial or conflict periods.

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