Egypt & US Renew Antiquities Protection Agreement for Five Years

Egypt and the United States have renewed their cultural property protection agreement for another five years, extending efforts to combat the illegal trafficking of Egyptian antiquities and recover stolen artefacts. The agreement, which has supported the return of more than 5,000 cultural items over the past decade, maintains US import restrictions on Egyptian archaeological materials.

The renewal was signed on November 9th, 2026, in Cairo by US Chargé d'Affaires Robert Silverman and Hisham El-Leithy, secretary-general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities. Egypt became the first country in the Middle East to sign such an agreement with the United States in 2016, before renewing it in 2021.

Among the recovered objects are the three-metre-long coffin lid of Ankhen, a priest from Egypt's 26th Dynasty, and a stone stela from the Temple of Hatshepsut that had been missing since 1930. Earlier in 2026, US authorities also returned 48 artefacts to the Egyptian consulate in Los Angeles.

The agreement strengthens cooperation between Egyptian and American law enforcement agencies to investigate antiquities trafficking and prevent illegally acquired artefacts from entering the US market. The US Embassy in Cairo noted that the illicit antiquities trade can provide funding for criminal networks involved in terrorism, drug trafficking and human trafficking.

Over the next five years, both governments plan to expand cooperation on archaeological site protection, law enforcement and cultural and educational exchanges. Egypt will also remain eligible for US grants supporting heritage preservation, including initiatives to improve artefact documentation and collections management at major museums in Greater Cairo.