US, Nepal sign a pact to prevent illicit trafficking of cultural property

Kathmandu, Jan. 8

Nepal and the United States of America have signed a landmark bilateral Cultural Property Agreement (CPA) to safeguard Nepal’s rich cultural heritage and prevent the illicit trafficking of cultural property. 

U.S. Ambassador to Nepal Dean R. Thompson and Dr. Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation (MOCTA) Suresh Suras Shrestha, signed the agreement at a programme organised in Kathmandu on Thursday.

Under this agreement, the United States, in accordance with its legislation, will restrict the importation into the USA of certain archaeological and ethnological material from Nepal unless accompanied by a valid export certificate issued by the Government of Nepal, the Embassy of the USA in Kathmandu said in a statement. 

The agreement covers archaeological material ranging in date from the Palaeolithic period (approximately 32,000 BCE) through 1770 CE, and ethnological material ranging from the 13th century through 1950 CE, including religious architectural materials, religious and ceremonial objects, and manuscripts identified in a designated list to be published by the U.S. Government. 

This agreement strengthens bilateral cooperation to combat looting and illegal trade of artefacts, ensuring Nepal’s cultural treasures remain preserved for future generations.

According to the statement, the agreement delivers important benefits to Nepal by curbing the loss of priceless heritage to the illicit market, reducing incentives for looting, and promoting responsible stewardship of cultural property.  It enhances Nepal’s global profile by recognising the nation’s unique contributions to world civilisation, while also facilitating collaboration with American institutions, universities, and researchers who can study and share Nepal’s cultural history with international audiences. 

Likewise, the agreement also supports Nepal’s cultural tourism industry, which is vital to the country’s economy, by ensuring that sacred and historic artefacts remain in their original context to be experienced by Nepali citizens and visitors alike.

Ambassador Thompson said at the signing ceremony that the CPA underscores the deep respect the US holds for Nepal’s cultural heritage.  It strengthens cooperation to prevent illicit trafficking, supports lawful cultural exchange, and reinforces our shared responsibility to protect Nepal’s cultural heritage for future generations.

Likewise, Secretary for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Mukunda Prasad Niroula thanked the USA the latter’s continued partnership in protecting Nepal’s cultural heritage. 

“Over the past two decades, this partnership through the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation and now the Cultural Property Agreement (CPA) reflects the strong Nepal–U.S. collaboration and our shared commitment to preventing illicit trafficking of cultural property and preserving cultural heritage for future generations,” he said.

The U.S. Department of State’s Cultural Heritage Centre leads the United States’ efforts to combat the illicit trafficking of cultural property and preserve cultural heritage through the negotiation and implementation of cultural property agreements. These agreements disrupt illegal trafficking networks, protect American collectors and museums from inadvertently purchasing looted objects, and cut off financial flows to terrorists and transnational criminals.  

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 9 January 2026.