Skip to main content

UK Transfers Sovereignty of Chagos Islands to Mauritius in Landmark Deal

Photo by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0.

In a historic move, the United Kingdom has officially agreed to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. This decision follows a UK High Court ruling that dismissed an injunction attempting to block the agreement, allowing Prime Minister Keir Starmer to finalize the long-disputed deal.


The Chagos Islands were controversially separated from Mauritius in 1965 during the decolonization period, leading to international criticism and legal challenges over the legitimacy of British sovereignty. The 2019 advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) stated that the UK's administration of the islands was unlawful and that sovereignty should be returned to Mauritius.


Strategic Interests Retained

Under the terms of the new agreement, Mauritius gains formal sovereignty over the Chagos Islands. However, the UK and the United States will retain joint operational control of Diego Garcia—a key U.S. military base on the archipelago—for the next 99 years through a lease arrangement. This lease includes an option for a 40-year extension.


The UK will pay Mauritius an average of £101 million per year over the 99-year lease period, amounting to a total of approximately £3.4 billion. Additionally, a £40 million trust fund will be established to support the Chagossian community, with further payments earmarked for Mauritian development.


Legal Challenges and Domestic Criticism

The sovereignty transfer faced a last-minute legal challenge from two exiled Chagossians who secured an emergency injunction from a UK High Court, arguing that they were not adequately consulted. However, the court quickly discharged the order, allowing the deal to proceed.


Domestically, the agreement has sparked political backlash. UK opposition leaders, including Conservative Party head Kemi Badenoch, have criticized the Labour government for “surrendering British territory” and committing taxpayers to substantial financial obligation.


Chagossian Rights Remain in Focus

The fate of the displaced Chagossian people remains one of the most sensitive and unresolved aspects of the deal. Between 1968 and 1973, thousands were forcibly removed from the islands to facilitate the construction of the Diego Garcia base. Many now live in exile across the UK, Mauritius, and the Seychelles.


Although the agreement opens the door to potential resettlement efforts, many Chagossians have voiced concern over being marginalized in the process. Bernadette Dugasse, one of the plaintiffs in the recent court challenge, stated: “We’re not Mauritians. We want our rights respected, and we want a say in the future of our homeland.


A Diplomatic Milestone with Geopolitical Ripples

For Mauritius, the deal marks the culmination of a decades-long campaign to reverse a colonial-era injustice. For the UK, it reflects a strategic recalibration—balancing global legal expectations with continued access to a vital military outpost.


The move also has broader geopolitical implications. As Mauritius deepens economic ties with China, Western observers are closely watching how the country manages its new responsibilities—particularly in relation to security and foreign partnerships.


Conclusion

The Chagos Islands deal represents a defining moment in post-colonial diplomacy. It offers Mauritius long-denied sovereignty and recognition, while maintaining Western strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific. However, the road ahead remains uncertain, especially for the displaced Chagossian community and the future regional balance of power.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Inside China’s Silent Exit Strategy from the Dollar

 When people talk about power in the modern world, they often mention military strength, political alliances, or cutting-edge technology. But there’s one form of power that operates quietly, and arguably even more effectively: money. More specifically, the currency that dominates global trade, investment, and banking. For decades, that currency has been the U.S. dollar. But there’s a slow shift happening in the background — one that, over time, could reshape the balance of global power. And at the heart of this shift is America’s growing mountain of debt and China’s patient, strategic tilt toward gold. Let’s break this down. Donald Trump at CPAC 2014 (1)" by Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. This image is available on Wikimedia Commons. The U.S. Dollar: King of the Global Economy The U.S. dollar has been the centerpiece of the global financial system since the end of World War II. Countries around the world trade in dollars, s...
Post a Comment
Read more

Why Russia Isn’t Stepping In to Save Iran?

In recent years, Iran has taken hit after hit on the world stage—from direct military confrontations with Israel to blows against its regional allies. Yet, despite being Iran’s most powerful friend, Russia has remained surprisingly quiet. Why isn’t Moscow stepping in to help Tehran? To understand that, we need to look deeper into Russia’s strategy, its own challenges, & the complex web of relationships it’s trying to balance. Ayatollah Khamenei meets Vladimir Putin" by english.khamenei.ir, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 4.0 Russia and Iran: An Unlikely Friendship? Iran & Russia have grown closer in the last decade. Their shared opposition to the West, particularly the US, has made them natural partners. When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 and faced severe Western sanctions, Iran became a useful ally. Tehran had provided Russia with military drones at a critical moment when Moscow’s own arsenal was under pressure. On the global stage, the 2 countries also share...
Post a Comment
Read more

China's BRI Gamble

The Rise and Fall of BRI Once a symbol of China’s rising power, the BRI is now facing some serious roadblocks. What went wrong? Chinese President Xi Jinping during a videoconference with Russian President Vladimir Putin in December 2022. As the architect of the Belt and Road Initiative, his leadership now navigates the project through a period of re-evaluation and increasing global scrutiny. Attribution: Presidential Executive Office of Russia / Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 A few years ago, China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was making headlines everywhere. It was huge. Trillions of dollars. Dozens of countries. Roads, railways, ports, and pipelines from Asia to Africa, Europe, and beyond. China called it a win-win for global development. Some saw it as the modern Silk Road. But fast forward to today, and things look... different. So, what happened to this big dream?
Post a Comment
Read more