LONDON: The UK has agreed to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius in a landmark deal that guarantees the future of the US military base on Diego Garcia, while offering displaced islanders the right to return after five decades.
Announced jointly by the UK and Mauritius on Thursday, the agreement hands full control of the archipelago to Mauritius, securing US operations on Diego Garcia for 99 years. The deal also promises financial support and development projects for Mauritius.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy hailed the agreement, saying it resolves longstanding disputes over the islands’ sovereignty and ensures the continued operation of the “vital” Diego Garcia base. The base, a key US strategic outpost, has been in operation since the 1970s.
The UK, which has controlled the Chagos Islands since 1814, evicted around 1,500 Chagossians in the early 1970s to lease Diego Garcia to the US. In 2019, the International Court of Justice ruled the UK’s retention of the islands was illegal, urging the handover to Mauritius.
The new deal allows for the resettlement of Chagossians across the islands, except Diego Garcia, but some Chagossian groups have criticised their exclusion from the negotiations. The UK has pledged financial support and a new trust fund for the displaced community.
US President Joe Biden praised the agreement, calling it a “historic” demonstration of diplomatic cooperation.
