United Kingdom to hand over Chagos Islands to Mauritius after 50 years; check details

In a joint statement released on Thursday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth confirmed the agreement, which brings to an end decades of contentious discussions over the islands' future.

The United Kingdom has announced it will relinquish sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, a remote but strategically significant archipelago in the Indian Ocean, after more than 50 years of control. The historic decision was reached following years of negotiations and will see the UK hand over the islands to Mauritius, including Diego Garcia, a key US military base.

In a joint statement released on Thursday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth confirmed the agreement, which brings to an end decades of contentious discussions over the islands' future. However, the military base on Diego Garcia, crucial for both regional and global security, will remain operational under the current US-UK agreement.

The deal, though yet to be finalised in a treaty, is expected to be completed swiftly. Both leaders emphasized the significance of the agreement as a "seminal moment" in their bilateral relations, highlighting their commitment to peaceful dispute resolution and adherence to international law.

The treaty will also address historical grievances, including the forced displacement of Chagossians, with a resettlement plan for the islands—excluding Diego Garcia—set to be introduced by Mauritius.

The agreement ensures the military base will continue to function for an "initial period" of 99 years, reaffirming its strategic importance amid increasing geopolitical tensions in the Indian Ocean region between Western powers, India, and China.

President Joe Biden applauded the "historic" deal, commending it as a demonstration of how diplomacy can resolve long-standing issues. The decision comes amid growing international pressure on the UK, with the United Nations and other bodies previously calling for Britain to cede control of what many considered its "last colony in Africa."

Mauritius has long claimed the Chagos Islands were illegally separated from the country during its independence in 1968, a grievance that is now being addressed.