British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Wednesday (May 21) a landmark agreement with Mauritius to formally transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago to the Indian Ocean nation while securing a 99-year lease for the continued operation of a U.S.-UK military base.
Under the deal, the strategically vital Diego Garcia base—a key hub for American and British military operations in the Indo-Pacific—will be leased back to both nations by Mauritius. Starmer described the decision to sign the agreement as stemming from "highly classified" considerations, warning that without a settlement, Mauritius could sue the UK in international courts, where Britain "would likely face defeat and additional penalties."
The agreement faced a brief legal hurdle early Wednesday when the UK High Court issued a temporary injunction halting the signing. However, the court lifted the order later the same day, allowing the deal to proceed.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio hailed the pact on social media as a historic accord, while UK Defence Secretary John Healey emphasized to Parliament that Diego Garcia remains critical to our national security and a cornerstone of Anglo-American defense cooperation.
A Long-Delayed Resolution
Negotiations over the Chagos Islands, located roughly 750 kilometers northeast of Mauritius, have been stalled for years due to political shifts in both Mauritius and the U.S. President Donald Trump's administration sought more time to review the plan, while Mauritius' recent change in leadership further complicated talks.
In October 2023, the UK and then-Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth reached a provisional agreement to transfer control of the archipelago. However, Jugnauth's electoral defeat by current Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam, who expressed reservations about the terms, delayed finalization. The U.S. election of Trump also postponed negotiations as officials awaited the new administration's input.
Contentious History
The Chagos Archipelago was forcibly separated from Mauritius by British colonial authorities in 1965, three years before the island nation gained independence. In 1966, the UK leased Diego Garcia to the U.S. to build a military base, leading to the expulsion of around 2,000 Chagossians—a move later deemed "illegal" by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2019.
While the agreement addresses sovereignty, it leaves unresolved the plight of displaced Chagossians, many of whom continue to demand reparations and the right to return. Critics argue the deal prioritizes Western military interests over justice for the archipelago's original inhabitants.
The UK government has yet to disclose details on financial compensation or environmental safeguards for the region. The deal is expected to face scrutiny in both the UK Parliament and Mauritian civil society as implementation begins.
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