After 215 years of British control, Mauritius regains the Chagos Islands

the United Kingdom officially returned the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, ending more than two centuries of British rule. The islands had originally been transferred from French to British control in 1810 as part of the Treaty of Paris in 1814. However, in 1965, just before Mauritius gained independence in 1968, the UK separated the Chagos archipelago from Mauritius, creating the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT).

Mauritius has never accepted the legitimacy of the BIOT and has continuously asserted its sovereignty over the islands, including Diego Garcia, arguing they form an integral part of its national territory. These claims gained momentum following a 2019 advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice, which stated that the UK must end its administration of the Chagos Islands promptly and urged UN members to assist in Mauritius’s decolonization.

In 2019, UNESCO recognized the Sega tambour Chagos music as part of Mauritius’s intangible cultural heritage, and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea confirmed the UK has no sovereignty over the islands. International pressure increased, notably when the Universal Postal Union banned BIOT-issued stamps in 2021, a move Mauritius hailed as a step toward recognizing its sovereignty.

The handover agreement allows the UK to keep its military base on Diego Garcia while ceding sovereignty to Mauritius. In exchange, Mauritius will receive €120 million annually for at least 99 years. A trust fund will support former island residents and help Mauritius with resettlement plans, excluding Diego Garcia.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized that the deal ensures strong protection for the military base’s operations, vital for UK security and counterterrorism efforts. The UK Ministry of Defence highlighted strict security measures, including a 39 km exclusion zone around Diego Garcia, a UK veto on developments, and a ban on foreign military presence.

This agreement, supported by the United States after negotiations beginning in 2022, secures the base’s strategic role in regional and global security, ensuring its continued operation.