In a historic move, the United Kingdom has agreed to transfer sovereignty of the long-disputed Chagos Islands to Mauritius, ending decades of colonial control. The decision, announced on Thursday, October 3, followed two years of negotiations aimed at securing the future of the strategically vital U.K.-U.S. military base on Diego Garcia, the largest island in the archipelago.
The Chagos Islands, a group of over 60 islands in the Indian Ocean, have been under British rule for more than 50 years. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy emphasized that the agreement would ensure the continued operation of the Diego Garcia military base, which has played a key role in global security efforts, including during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“This deal strengthens our role in safeguarding global security,” Lammy stated, underscoring the importance of the base in preventing illegal migration routes and bolstering ties with Mauritius, a fellow Commonwealth nation.
As part of the agreement, the U.K. will retain control over Diego Garcia for an initial 99-year period and will pay rent to Mauritius. Additionally, a resettlement fund will be established to support Chagossians who were forcibly displaced from the islands in the 1960s and 1970s. These displaced individuals, now living mainly in the U.K., Mauritius, and the Seychelles, have long fought for their right to return.
For the Chagossian community, however, the news has been met with mixed emotions. Chagossian Voices, a group representing the diaspora, expressed disappointment that their input was largely excluded from the negotiations. “We remain powerless and voiceless in determining our own future and the future of our homeland,” the group stated on social media, calling for full inclusion in the treaty process.
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Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth, in a televised address, hailed the agreement as a milestone in the nation’s history. “Fifty-six years after our independence, the decolonization is finally complete,” he proclaimed. Jugnauth expressed hope that those displaced from their homes would finally be able to return to the islands.
The deal comes after increasing international pressure on the U.K., including a 2019 ruling by the International Court of Justice, which found that Britain had unlawfully separated the Chagos Islands from Mauritius during the decolonization process.
While U.S. President Joe Biden praised the agreement as a step toward securing the continued operation of the Diego Garcia facility, the decision has drawn criticism from some British political figures. Conservative lawmakers, including Tom Tugendhat, voiced concern that the transfer of sovereignty could lead to security risks, speculating that Mauritius could lease one of the islands to China.
Despite the controversy, the treaty signals a significant shift in the U.K.’s colonial legacy, as both the U.K. and Mauritius move forward to finalize the legal processes necessary to implement the agreement. As resettlement plans unfold, the Chagossian people continue to advocate for greater inclusion in decisions about their homeland’s future.
