The UK has announced it is giving up sovereignty of a remote but strategically important cluster of islands in the Indian Ocean after more than half a century.
The deal – reached after years of negotiations – will see the UK hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius in a historic move.
This includes the tropical atoll of Diego Garcia, used by the US government as a military base for its navy ships and long-range bomber aircraft.
The announcement, made in a joint statement by the British and Mauritian Prime Ministers on Thursday, ends decades of often fractious negotiations between the two countries over the islands.
The US-UK base will remain on Diego Garcia – a key factor enabling the deal to go forward at a time of growing geopolitical rivalries in the region between Western countries, India, and China.
The deal is still subject to finalisation of a treaty but both sides have vowed to complete this as quickly as possible.
“Under the terms of this treaty the United Kingdom will agree that Mauritius is sovereign over the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia,” the statement from UK PM Keir Starmer and Mauritius PM Pravind Jugnauth read.
“At the same time, both our countries are committed to the need…to ensure the long-term, secure, and effective operation of the existing base on Diego Garcia which plays a vital role in regional and global security.”
The treaty will also “address wrongs of the past and demonstrate the commitment of both parties to support the welfare of Chagossians”, the statement read.
Mauritius will now be able to bring in a program of resettlement on the Chagos Islands – excepting the military base island of Diego Garcia.
