The United Kingdom has agreed to hand over ownership of the Chagos archipelago to Mauritius, marking an end to a decades-long dispute between the two nations. Situated in the Indian Ocean, the cluster of islands have been under British authority for more than half a century.
The announcement was made by Britain on Thursday in a joint statement with the East African nation’s government, signifying the conclusion of negotiations and the longstanding disagreement. Under the terms of the agreement, the British government will recognize Mauritian sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, while Diego Garcia—where a joint UK and US military base is located—will remain under British control.
The Chagos Islands were separated from Mauritius in 1965, three years before the African state gained independence from British rule. In 1966, Britain loaned Diego Garcia, the largest island, to the United States for the construction of a military base and subsequently deported the 2,000 people who resided on the tropical atoll. The majority were sent to Mauritius or the Seychelles, while some relocated to Britain.
In 2019, the International Court of Justice ruled unanimously that the UK should cede the territory to Mauritius because its continued administration of Chagos was a “wrongful act.” However, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office maintained that Britain had no doubts about its sovereignty over the “British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT),” which has been under continuous British sovereignty since 1814. They added that Mauritius has never held authority over the BIOT, and the UK does not recognize its claim.
The Mauritius government claimed it was coerced into surrendering the territory, which is about 2,180 km from the capital, Port Louis, in exchange for its independence from the UK in 1968. In 2022, then-Foreign Secretary James Cleverly announced that the UK had initiated talks with Mauritius to resolve the long-standing dispute over the Chagos, known as “the last British colony in Africa.
Following two years of negotiation, this is a seminal moment in our relationship and a demonstration of our enduring commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes and the rule of law,” the British and Mauritian sides stated on Thursday when announcing the “historic agreement.
The treaty will address past wrongs and demonstrate both parties’ commitment to support the welfare of Chagossians. Mauritius will now be free to implement a resettlement program on the islands of the Chagos Archipelago, except for Diego Garcia. Britain intends to provide financial assistance to Mauritius, including annual payments and infrastructure investments. It will also support Chagossians through a new trust fund, following years of criticism from organizations such as Human Rights Watch regarding the lack of full reparations for all displaced islanders.
Leading British opposition figures, including Conservative security spokesman Tom Tugendhat and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, have criticized the deal, arguing that it could enable China to gain a military foothold in the Indian Ocean. Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden welcomed the “historic agreement,” stating that it “secures the effective operation of the joint facility on Diego Garcia into the next century.