By Euronews with AP
Published on
The United Kingdom has signed an agreement handing over control of the disputed Chagos Islands to Mauritius, with Westminster saying the deal protects the future of a US-UK military base that is important for British security.
The Chagos Islands, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, includes the largest island Diego Garcia which hosts a key naval and air base used by the US.
Under the agreement, the UK will pay Mauritius €120 million each year to lease back the base for at least 99 years.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the base is “right at the foundation of our safety and security at home” and is crucial for counterterrorism and intelligence.
“By agreeing to this deal now on our terms, we’re securing strong protections, including from malign influence, that will allow the base to operate well into the next century, helping to keep us safe for generations to come,” Starmer said at a military headquarters near London.
Critics argue that giving up the islands, which have been British territory for over 200 years, could lead to interference from countries like Russia or China.
Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch said, “We should not be paying to surrender British territory to Mauritius.”
The deal faced opposition from former island residents who were expelled decades ago to build the base.
The agreement was set to be signed by Starmer and Mauritian leader Navin Ramgoolam in a virtual ceremony on Thursday morning. But it was delayed when a judge granted a last-minute injunction, requested by two Chagossian women.
That injunction was later lifted by another judge.
Chagos-born Bernadette Dugasse and Bertrice Pompe, who brought the legal challenge, said they fear it will be even harder to return home once Mauritius takes over.
The agreement includes a trust fund to help Chagossians and allows Mauritius to organise resettlement on the islands – except Diego Garcia – but does not guarantee it.
Pompe called it “a very sad day” and said, “The rights we are asking for now, we have been fighting for for 60 years. Mauritius is not going to give that to us.”
The Chagos Islands have been under British control since 1814. In 1965, Britain separated them from Mauritius, which became independent in 1968.
In the 1960s and 70s, Britain expelled around 2,000 islanders so the US could build the Diego Garcia base. The base has supported US military operations from Vietnam to Iraq and Afghanistan and hosts facilities for nuclear submarines and intelligence operations.
Mauritius has long disputed Britain’s claim to the islands. In 2019, the International Court of Justice said Britain had unlawfully separated Chagos from Mauritius when ending colonial rule.
Starmer said, “We had to act now because the base was under threat.” He added that Mauritius was preparing to take Britain to court, and there was no “realistic prospect of success” for the UK.
The Ministry of Defence said the deal includes strong protections, such as a 39-kilometres exclusion zone around Diego Garcia, a UK veto on development, and a ban on foreign security forces on the islands.
Talks began in 2022 under the previous Conservative government and continued after Labour won July’s general election. A draft deal was agreed in October but delayed due to political changes in Mauritius and disagreements over how much the UK would pay.
Britain also checked with the US after a change in government there. The Trump administration approved the deal earlier this year.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed the agreement, saying it “secures the long-term, stable, and effective operation” of Diego Garcia, which he called “a critical asset for regional and global security.”
