The Chagos Islands dispute remains a contentious issue between Mauritius, the UK, and the US. On September 25, Mauritius' Council of Ministers discussed a phone call between Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam and UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham on September 21. Burnham assured Ramgoolam of his commitment to working with Mauritius and the US to ratify an agreement signed on May 22, 2025.
The agreement aims to secure the long-term operation of a British military base on Diego Garcia, the largest island in the Chagos archipelago. According to the UK government, the sovereignty of Mauritius over the archipelago is not in question. The Mauritian government cites a February 25, 2019 advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice, a May 22, 2019 UN General Assembly resolution, and decisions from the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.
The opposition in Mauritius has criticized the government for allegedly losing time in the negotiations. However, a source close to the Chagos dossier disputes this claim, stating that an agreement announced by the government on October 3, 2024, was subject to the finalization of a treaty and did not include any financial terms. The treaty signed on May 22, 2025, reportedly includes a provision for the UK to pay 3.4 billion pounds over 99 years.
The source also countered criticism from Paul Bérenger, a prominent opposition leader, who compared the Chagos situation to Greenland's relationship with Denmark. The source argued that the two situations are fundamentally different, as Denmark exercises undisputed sovereignty over Greenland, while the UK continues to administer the Chagos Islands.
The current impasse in the negotiations is attributed to the US, after President Donald Trump expressed opposition to the agreement on January 20, 2026. Ramgoolam is set to meet with Jonathan Powell, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham's national security adviser, in the UK. The source close to the dossier stated that the blockage lies with Washington and Westminster, emphasizing that Mauritius is not seeking something that the UN has not already recognized.
The Chagos Islands dispute has been ongoing for decades, with Mauritius seeking to regain control over the archipelago. The UK has maintained a military base on Diego Garcia since the 1960s, and the issue has been the subject of international diplomatic efforts.
The Mauritian government maintains that it has never questioned the continuation of the military base's operations on Diego Garcia. The government's stance is that the agreement will ensure the secure and efficient functioning of the base.
Key points
- The opposition in Mauritius has criticized the government for allegedly losing time in the negotiations.
- The UK government maintains that the sovereignty of Mauritius over the Chagos Islands is not in question.
- The current impasse in the negotiations is attributed to the US, after President Donald Trump expressed opposition to the agreement.
