Starmer gives up British sovereignty of Chagos Islands ‘to boost global security’

Dominic Penna
Thu 3 October 2024 

The Chagos Islands were governed as an overseas territory of the UK 

- CPA Media Pte Ltd/Alamy Stock Photo


Sir Keir Starmer has given up the Chagos Islands, handing the Indian Ocean territory to Mauritius.

The islands were British-owned from 1814 but have now been signed away by the Government in a deal that it claimed would safeguard global security by ending a long-running dispute.

They include Diego Garcia, which hosts a strategically important US-UK military base.


A joint statement by the British Prime Minister and his Mauritian counterpart 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.”

David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, said in a statement on Thursday that the agreement would still secure the “vital” military base for future use.

He said: “This government inherited a situation where the long-term, secure operation of the Diego Garcia military base was under threat, with contested sovereignty and ongoing legal challenges.

“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 guaranteeing our long-term relationship with Mauritius, a close Commonwealth partner.”

Demonstrators from the Chagos Islands in 2019, with the territory having been at the centre of a dispute over Britain’s decision to separate it from Mauritius in 1965 - AFP

Grant Shapps, a former defence secretary, said: “This is absolutely appalling. Surrendering sovereignty here creates read-across to other British bases. It’s a weak and deeply regrettable act from this government.”

Under Sir Tony Blair, Britain discussed a US request for permission to use Diego Garcia to house a Guantanamo Bay-style prison camp for hundreds of 500 terror detainees.

While the idea was rejected for being impractical, documents suggested the CIA may have still used the island to fly suspects to secret “black site” prisons around the world.
‘Mutually beneficial’

The agreement was welcomed by Joe Biden, the US president, who said it would lead to “peaceful and mutually beneficial outcomes”.

Mr Biden said: “I applaud the historic agreement and conclusion of the negotiations between the Republic of Mauritius and the United Kingdom on the status of the Chagos Archipelago.

“It is a clear demonstration that through diplomacy and partnership, countries can overcome long-standing historical challenges to reach peaceful and mutually beneficial outcomes.

“This agreement affirms Mauritian sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, while granting the United Kingdom the authority to exercise the sovereign rights of Mauritius with respect to Diego Garcia.

“Diego Garcia is the site of a joint US-UK military facility that plays a vital role in national, regional, and global security. It enables the United States to support operations that demonstrate our shared commitment to regional stability, provide rapid response to crises, and counter some of the most challenging security threats we face. The agreement secures the effective operation of the joint facility on Diego Garcia into the next century.

“We look forward to continuing our strong partnership with Mauritius and the United Kingdom in upholding a free and open Indo-Pacific.”


UK to give up Chagos Islands sovereignty to secure future of military base

Richard Wheeler and David Hughes, PA
Thu 3 October 2024

Britain is giving up sovereignty of a remote group of islands in return for securing the long-term future of a strategically important military base.

The UK Government said it has reached a political agreement with Mauritius over the Chagos Islands, also known as the British Indian Ocean Territory, following negotiations which began in 2022.

Mauritius will assume sovereignty over the Indian Ocean archipelago while the joint US-UK military base remains on Diego Garcia, the largest of the islands.

A group of Chagossians on a visit to Diego Garcia in April 2006 (Foreign and Commonwealth Office/PA)


The Foreign Office said the agreement means the status of the base will be undisputed and legally secure.

US President Joe Biden welcomed the “historic” agreement and said it secures the “effective operation of the joint facility on Diego Garcia into the next century”.

But Conservative leadership candidates reacted angrily, with former foreign secretary James Cleverly labelling the Government “weak” and Robert Jenrick saying there had been a “surrender”.

Chagossians were forced to leave the central Indian Ocean territory by 1973 to make way for the military base.

The expulsions are regarded as one of the most shameful parts of Britain’s modern colonial history and Chagossians have spent decades fighting to return to the islands.

The United Nations’ highest court, the International Court of Justice, previously ruled the UK’s administration of the territory was “unlawful” and must end.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: “This Government inherited a situation where the long-term, secure operation of the Diego Garcia military base was under threat, with contested sovereignty and ongoing legal challenges.

“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 guaranteeing our long-term relationship with Mauritius, a close Commonwealth partner.”

The Foreign Office said the agreement is subject to a treaty and supporting legal instruments being finalised, adding that both sides have committed to complete this as quickly as possible.

A Downing Street spokesman said Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer spoke to his Mauritius counterpart, Pravind Jugnauth, on Thursday morning.

The spokesman said: “The leaders began by welcoming the political agreement achieved today between the UK and Mauritius on the exercise of sovereignty over the Chagos archipelago after two years of negotiations.

“The Prime Minister reiterated the importance of reaching this deal to protect the continued operation of the UK/US military base on Diego Garcia.

“He underscored his steadfast duty to national and global security which underpinned the political agreement reached today.”


Conservative former minister Mr Jenrick said: “It’s taken three months for Starmer to surrender Britain’s strategic interests.

“This is a dangerous capitulation that will hand our territory to an ally of Beijing.”

Mr Cleverly wrote on social media: “Weak, weak, weak! Labour lied to get into office. Said they’d be whiter than white, said they wouldn’t put up taxes, said they’d stand up to the EU, said that they be patriotic. All lies!”

Fellow Tory leadership candidate Tom Tugendhat said: “This is a shameful retreat undermining our security and leaving our allies exposed.”

He said the Foreign Office had “negotiated against Britain’s interest” and it was “disgraceful that these negotiations started under our watch”.

Andrew Rosindell, the Conservative MP for Romford, wrote on social media platform X: “This is a shameful betrayal by Labour.

“The right of self-determination of the Chagossian people has been disregarded. No territory of the Crown should be handed away without consent.

“The loyal people of all UK’s Overseas Territories will shudder at this announcement.”

Up next

UK hands over sovereignty of Chagos Islands to Mauritius in a deal to secure US base

Associated Press

Thu 3 October 2024 at 4:42 am GMT-6·2-min read

LONDON (AP) — Britain's government said Thursday it agreed to hand sovereignty of the long-contested Chagos Islands, an archipelago of more than 60 islands in the Indian Ocean, to Mauritius, in a deal that secures the future of a strategically important U.K.-U.S. military base there.

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the agreement secures the vital military base at Diego Garcia, the largest in the chain of islands, for the future.

The U.K. government said without the deal the secure operation of the military base would be under threat, with contested sovereignty and legal challenges, including through various international courts and tribunals. As part of the deal, the U.K. will retain sovereignty of Diego Garcia for an initial period of 99 years.

“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 U.K., as well as guaranteeing our long-term relationship with Mauritius, a close Commonwealth partner,” Lammy said.

The deal was strongly supported by international partners including the U.S., British officials said.

The agreement will have to be signed off in a treaty and is dependent on legal processes being finalized. Both sides have committed to complete this as quickly as possible

The Chagos Islands have been at the heart of what Britain calls the British Indian Ocean Territory since 1965 when they were siphoned away from Mauritius, a U.K. territory that gained independence three years later.

The U.S. Navy base at Diego Garcia was built in the 1970s and provides what American authorities have described as “an all but indispensable platform” for security operations in the Middle East, South Asia and East Africa.

Around 1,500 inhabitants from the Chagos Islands were displaced to make way for the U.S. base. It's unclear immediately whether they and their descendants, who are mainly living in the U.K., Mauritius and the Seychelles, will have a right to return.

In a statement, the White House said President Joe Biden applauded the “historic agreement” on the status of the Chagos Islands. It called the Diego Garcia base vital in preserving “national, regional, and global security.”