After years of negotiations, the UK have announced that it is relinquishing its sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius in a historic move that would see it archipelago serve away from what was previously a UK-US overruling for over 50-years.
A remote but strategically important cluster of islands in the Indian Ocean, the announcement, made in a joint statement by the UK and Mauritian Prime Ministers, ends decades of negotiations between the two countries after the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea ordered the return. With both sides promising to complete it as quickly as possible, the deal, during this Black History Month, is still subject to finalisation of a treaty.
In a statement from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth, it said: "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 treaty will also address the wrongs of the past and demonstrate the commitment of both parties to support the welfare of the islands’ natives.
It was the United Kingdom who, in 1965, separated the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritian territory – forcibly expelling the local population - to create the British Indian Ocean Territory. The larger Diego Garcia island was then leased to the United States. After faced ongoing widespread diplomatic isolation, a vast number of United Nations’ leading bodies, including its top court and general assembly, have overwhelmingly sided with Mauritius and demanding that the UK and the US surrender what was referred to as its "last colony in Africa".
The joint statement - by both Prime Ministers - added: “Under the terms of this treaty the United Kingdom will agree that Mauritius is sovereign over the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia.” US President Joe Biden welcomed the agreement, saying: “This is a clear demonstration that through diplomacy and partnership, countries can overcome long-standing historical challenges to reach peaceful and mutually beneficial outcomes".
He went on to say that “This agreement will secure the future of a key military base which plays a vital role in national, regional, and global security." The government of Mauritius has always argued that it was illegally forced to give the Chagos Islands away in return for its own independence from the UK in 1968.
Ranked as the most peaceful country in Africa, it is highly ranked for economic and political freedom and is listed by the Economist's Democracy Index as the only country in Africa with full democracy. The UK is said to be providing a package of financial support to Mauritius, including annual payments and infrastructure investment.
There will also be a programme of resettlement on the Chagos Islands - but not on Diego Garcia. There, the UK will ensure operation of the military base for an initial period of 99 years.
