UK hands over Chagos Islands to Mauritius in landmark sovereignty deal

The UK has agreed to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius , after a high court ruling cleared the way for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to sign the controversial deal. The agreement ends decades of British control over the Indian Ocean archipelago, which has been at the centre of legal and diplomatic disputes since the islands were separated from Mauritius in 1965.

A virtual signing ceremony between UK and Mauritian officials had been delayed following a last-minute injunction brought by two exiled Chagossian women, Bernadette Dugasse and Bertrice Pompe, who were born on Diego Garcia. They argued that the deal was being finalised without consulting the Chagossian community and expressed fears of discrimination and exclusion from resettlement efforts. However, Mr Justice Chamberlain dismissed their challenge, saying national interest outweighed a further delay.

Under the terms of the deal, Mauritius will gain sovereignty, but the UK and US will retain joint use of the strategic military base on Diego Garcia for an initial period of 99 years.

The agreement is expected to cost the UK taxpayer billions, though the government has not confirmed exact figures. Critics have voiced concerns about security, citing Mauritius’s close trade ties with China. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called it “Labour chaos,” accusing Starmer’s government of surrendering British territory and burdening taxpayers.

A UK government spokesperson defended the agreement, saying it was “vital to protect British people and our national security.” Foreign Office officials had warned that any delay would harm the UK’s standing with both Mauritius and the US.

Despite the setback, Ms Pompe vowed to continue the fight, saying, “We’re not Mauritians. We don’t want to give up our rights.” The handover follows a 2019 advisory ruling by the International Court of Justice, endorsed by the UN, which urged the UK to return the islands and end its colonial hold.