US Returns Rare Dinosaur Fossils to Morocco in Cultural Heritage Gesture

Supervised by Mohammed Mehdi Bensaid, Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, the event took place in the presence of Puneet Talwar, the US Ambassador to Morocco. Among the restituted fossils are a complete Messosaurus skull and part of the jaws of a Basilosaurid Cetatean.

Mohammed Mehdi Bensaid recalled, in his message, a previous restitution: a fossil crocodile skull returned by the United States, adding that these gestures are part of the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2020, aimed at combating the illicit trafficking of cultural property. For his part, the American ambassador highlighted the partnership formed in 2021 between the two countries to protect their cultural heritage, noting the vital importance of the latter for Morocco.

The Moroccan minister also mentioned the recent earthquake in Morocco, stressing the need to protect cultural heritage in the affected areas. For her part, Farah Bouqartacha, Secretary General of the Department of Sustainable Development, discussed Morocco’s commitment to preserving its geological heritage, emphasizing the cooperation between various Moroccan ministries to protect and enhance this heritage.

The official also informed about the development of a draft law aimed at the protection and enhancement of the national heritage, in its cultural, material, immaterial and geological aspects. This project aims to identify solutions to make heritage a lever for sustainable development.