UK to sign Chagos deal with Mauritius

The United Kingdom is set to sign a landmark agreement transferring sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, while maintaining a key military base under a long-term lease agreement with the United States.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is expected to attend a virtual signing ceremony on Thursday alongside Mauritian officials. The deal, which has been under negotiation for months, will formally return control of the archipelago to Mauritius while allowing the UK and US to continue operating a joint military base on Diego Garcia for an initial period of 99 years.

As part of the agreement, Mauritius will receive a multi-billion pound payment from the UK. Though specific financial details have not been disclosed, the deal is expected to result in substantial taxpayer costs.

The agreement follows years of international pressure on the UK to relinquish control of the territory, which was separated from Mauritius in 1965 while the island nation was still a British colony. Mauritius has long argued that it was coerced into giving up the Chagos Islands in exchange for its independence in 1968. The UK purchased the territory at the time for £3 million.

In recent years, the United Nations and other international bodies have sided with Mauritius in its sovereignty claim, intensifying calls for Britain to return the islands.

Initial plans to transfer sovereignty were announced in October under then-Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth. However, political changes in both Mauritius and the United States caused delays. Jugnauth was later replaced by Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam, who expressed reservations about the agreement. Meanwhile, the election of Donald Trump as US President brought further scrutiny, with officials within his administration questioning the deal’s implications for national security.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, along with other Republican figures, had raised concerns over Mauritius’ diplomatic ties with China, arguing that the deal could jeopardize US military interests in the Indian Ocean. Despite this, Trump recently signaled support for the arrangement, clearing a path for its conclusion.

“The Sergeant told me that he knew exactly who the band was and listened to them a lot while he was in college,” Fitzgerald added. “The Police Department would be happy to have the All-American Rejects return and play in Columbia, hopefully with the proper permits and approval.”

A spokesperson for the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) emphasized that the agreement ensures long-term security. “We are working to sign a deal which will safeguard the joint UK-US base on Diego Garcia, which is vital to our national security,” the spokesperson said.

As the deal is finalized, six representatives from three Chagossian community groups have been invited to a meeting on Thursday morning with Stephen Doughty, the minister responsible for Europe, North America, and overseas territories. According to a government email, the meeting will provide an opportunity to discuss ongoing Chagossian initiatives and the newly formed Chagossian contact group. Further details on these programs have yet to be made public.

The military base on Diego Garcia remains one of the most strategically significant US and UK defense outposts, playing a crucial role in intelligence gathering, surveillance, and regional operations.

Following the signing ceremony, Parliament will be briefed on the terms of the agreement. Reports suggest the deal may include an option to extend the military lease for an additional 40 years beyond the initial 99-year term.

Speaking in the House of Commons earlier this week, Defence Secretary John Healey defended the agreement, stating that Diego Garcia is “essential to our security” and the UK’s defense partnership with the US.

“We’ve had to act, as the previous government started to do, to deal with that jeopardy. We’re completing those arrangements and will report to the House when we can,” Healey said.

While the deal is likely to be hailed as a diplomatic breakthrough by some, critics — including members of the Conservative Party and Reform UK — argue that ceding sovereignty sets a dangerous precedent. Nonetheless, Labour insists the agreement is the most viable way to secure long-term stability for the base while addressing long-standing territorial disputes.