UK cedes Chagos Archipalego back to Mauritius under historic treaty

According to Al Jazeera, the United Kingdom is giving up the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius in a deal that would allow people displaced decades ago to return home while the UK retains use of the British-US military base on Diego Garcia. The UK said that the operation of Diego Garcia, a strategic military base jointly operated with the United States, was protected by the agreement, which also allows Mauritius to resettle the rest of the islands after its population was displaced.

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Mauritius and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland today confirm that they have reached an historic political agreement on the exercise of sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, as noted by Al Jazeera.

As noted by the press release issued by 10 Downing Street, after two years of negotiation, a seminal moment was achieved in the relationship that demonstrates commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes and the rule of law. It was noted by them that the negotiations have been conducted in a constructive and respectful manner, as equal sovereign States, on the basis of international law, and with the intention of resolving all outstanding issues between the United Kingdom and Mauritius concerning the Chagos Archipelago, including those relating to its former inhabitants.

The Press Release stated that 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, and will agree in the treaty, 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. For an initial period of 99 years, the United Kingdom will be authorised to exercise with respect to Diego Garcia the sovereign rights and authorities of Mauritius required to ensure the continued operation of the base well into the next century.

The treaty will address wrongs of the past and demonstrate the commitment of both parties to support the welfare of Chagossians. Mauritius will now be free to implement a programme of resettlement on the islands of the Chagos Archipelago, other than Diego Garcia, and the UK will capitalise a new trust fund, as well as separately provide other support, for the benefit of Chagossians.

The International Court of Justice had previously spoken for the UK to cede the island territory back to Mauritius in 2019.

The UK had controlled the region since 1814 and had detached the Chagos Islands in 1965 from Mauritius so as to create the British Indian Ocean Territory. In the early 1970s, UK evicted almost 2,000 residents to Mauritius and the Seychelles to make way for an airbase on the largest island, Diego Garcia, which it had leased to the US in 1966, Al Jazeera noted.

Foreign Secretary of UK David Lammy said, "Today's agreement secures this vital military base for the future. It will strengthen our role in safeguarding global security, shut down any possibility of the Indian Ocean being used as a dangerous illegal migration route to the UK, as well as guarantee our long-term relationship with Mauritius, a close Commonwealth partner."

The Press Release issued by the UK government notes that this decision will "herald a new era of economic, security and environmental partnership."

The UK has also announced to provide a package of financial support to Mauritius. This will include an indexed annual payment for the duration of the agreement the establishment of a transformational infrastructure partnership and boosting economic development across the country.

Both sides also agreed to cooperate on environmental protection, maritime security, combating illegal fishing, irregular migration and drug and people trafficking within the Chagos Archipelago, with the shared objective of securing and protecting one of the world's most important marine environments. This will include the establishment of a Mauritian Marine Protected Area.

It was also noted in a significant development by both parties that the treaty enjoyed the full support and assistance of our close partners, the United States of America and the Republic of India. (ANI)