The British government will hand over sovereignty of the disputed Chagos Islands to Mauritius in a historic deal after years of negotiations, it has emerged.
This includes the tropical atoll of Diego Garcia, which is used by Britain and the United States as a key military base in the Indian Ocean, hosting naval ships and long-range bombers.
The new agreement will secure the two countries’ rights to operate the military base on Diego Garcia, the archipelago’s largest island, for at least the next 99 years.
The Foreign Ministry said the status of the base will be undisputed and legally secure following the political agreement between the two countries.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: “Today’s agreement secures this vital military base for the future.”
An undated file photo shows Diego Garcia, the largest island in the Chagos Archipelago and site of a major United States military base in the mid-Indian Ocean leased from Britain
Chagos is an overseas territory of Great Britain in the Indian Ocean, between Africa and Indonesia
“It will strengthen our role in ensuring global security, close any possibility of the Indian Ocean being used as a dangerous illegal migration route to Britain, and safeguard our long-term relationship with Mauritius, a close Commonwealth partner,” it said he. added.
The government said Diego Garcia has seen a small number of migrants arrive and submit asylum claims since 2021.
It said the agreement to give Mauritius sovereignty “will eliminate any possibility of the Indian Ocean being used as a dangerous illegal migration route to Britain, with Mauritius taking responsibility for any future arrivals.”
In a joint statement, Sir Keir Starmer and his Mauritian counterpart, Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth, said: ‘Under the terms of this treaty, the United Kingdom will agree that Mauritius is sovereign over the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia.’
“At the same time, both our countries are committed to the need… to ensure the long-term, safe and effective operation of the existing base at Diego Garcia, which plays a crucial role in regional and global security.”
They added that the treaty will also “address the mistakes of the past and demonstrate the commitment of both sides to support the well-being of the Chagossians.”
The agreement has yet to be finalized, but both parties are said to have committed to finalizing it as soon as possible.