In a move that marks the close of a painful chapter in colonial history, the United Kingdom has officially agreed to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, ending its last territorial claim in Africa in a deal valued at £3.4 billion.
The agreement, signed on Thursday, not only fulfills decades of legal and diplomatic pressure from the international community—it also reflects Britain’s attempt to maintain strategic interests in the Indian Ocean while responding to global calls for decolonization.
The Chagos Islands, a small archipelago located in the Indian Ocean, have been at the center of a bitter sovereignty dispute between the UK and Mauritius for over half a century. The largest island, Diego Garcia, is home to a key UK-US military base, which will now remain operational under a 99-year lease included in the terms of the deal.
A Deal Struck Between History and Strategy
“This was about doing what’s right for Britain’s national interest while respecting international obligations,” UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said during a press briefing. He described the base on Diego Garcia as a critical asset for global security, citing its role in operations across the Middle East, the Red Sea, and Indo-Pacific regions.
The final deal allows Britain to pay £101 million annually—equivalent to $136 million—to Mauritius for the lease of Diego Garcia. Over the span of nearly a century, this will amount to £3.4 billion, adjusted for inflation.
The handover had initially been delayed earlier on Thursday after a British court granted a temporary order in response to a legal challenge filed on behalf of a UK citizen born in the Chagos Islands. The court’s decision nearly stalled the signing but was ultimately resolved in time for the agreement to proceed.
Colonial Shadows and a Contested Past
The Chagos Islands were separated from Mauritius in 1965, just three years before Mauritius gained independence from Britain. The detachment, which created the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), was ruled illegal by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2019. The United Nations General Assembly later voted overwhelmingly in support of Mauritius’ claim to the islands.
For decades, Chagossians—the indigenous people of the islands who were forcibly removed in the late 1960s and early 1970s to make way for military installations—have fought for the right to return. Their plight remains unresolved, as UK authorities have long cited “security risks” associated with any resettlement near the US-UK military facility.
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Domestic Division and Global Optics
Though the Labour-led UK government is touting the deal as a pragmatic compromise, not everyone is convinced. Priti Patel, a senior Conservative MP and foreign affairs spokeswoman, slammed the agreement as a “surrender,” accusing the government of “undermining national security” and wasting taxpayer money.
“Labour’s Chagos Surrender Deal is bad for our defence and security interests, bad for British taxpayers, and bad for British Chagossians,” she said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Still, for many observers, the handover reflects a changing global landscape—where former colonial powers are being forced to reconcile with their past, and smaller nations are standing up for sovereignty.
What Happens Next?
With the deal now signed, Mauritius reclaims formal sovereignty over the Chagos archipelago for the first time since 1965. However, what remains unclear is how this development will impact the Chagossian diaspora and their demand for resettlement and justice.
For now, Britain retains access to Diego Garcia for military purposes, and Mauritius begins a new chapter—one written not by colonial hands, but by its own people.
As the Union Jack lowers and history shifts, the message is clear: the age of empire is drawing to a close, and the world is watching what justice looks like when it’s long overdue.
