Highlights
- The UK will hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, ending over 50 years of dispute.
- Diego Garcia, a crucial US military base, will remain operational for 99 years.
- The agreement is seen as a response to international pressure and legal rulings favoring Mauritius.
- Financial support from the UK will aid Mauritius in resettlement and infrastructure projects.
- Chagossians have mixed views about returning to the islands versus their rights in the UK.
The United Kingdom has officially announced that it will transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, concluding over 50 years of contention over one of its last African territories.
This landmark agreement allows Mauritius to reclaim control over the remote islands, including the strategically significant Diego Garcia atoll, utilized as a military base by the United States.
In a joint statement from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth, both leaders emphasized the importance of peaceful resolutions to historical disputes.
The agreement will enable Mauritius to pursue a resettlement program for the Chagossians, although the military base on Diego Garcia will remain operational for an initial period of 99 years.
Additionally, the UK has committed to providing financial assistance to Mauritius, including infrastructure investments.
President Joe Biden has endorsed this historic deal, noting that it exemplifies the power of diplomacy to resolve long-standing issues.
The deal marks a significant shift in the UK’s stance, particularly given the rising geopolitical tensions in the Indian Ocean region, where the influence of Western countries, India, and China is growing.
Mauritius has maintained that its sovereignty over the Chagos Islands was unlawfully compromised when the UK separated them during its independence negotiations in 1968.
Over the years, Mauritian officials and Chagossians have persistently sought recognition of their claims through various international forums, gaining increasing support.
The UK has faced mounting pressure from international bodies, including the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the United Nations General Assembly, which have consistently backed Mauritius’s claim to the islands.
This agreement signifies a crucial step toward rectifying past injustices and fostering a new era of cooperation between the UK and Mauritius. However, not all Chagossians are united on the issue; opinions vary on whether to return to the islands or focus on their rights within the UK.
The UK’s commitment to ongoing military operations in the region remains a contentious point, reflecting the complex dynamics surrounding the Chagos Islands.
