Mauritius’s New Prime Minister Expresses Reservations Over UK Chagos Islands Agreement

The recently appointed prime minister of Mauritius has indicated he holds reservations regarding the agreement reached last month by his predecessor with the UK government concerning the Chagos Islands. This arrangement stipulates that the United Kingdom would relinquish its sovereignty over the distant yet strategically vital archipelago, while simultaneously leasing Diego Garcia, which hosts a joint UK-US military installation, for a minimum duration of 99 years. Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam, who assumed office two weeks prior, did not specify his exact objections to the accord; however, a member of his cabinet indicated issues with the leasing terms. Furthermore, the agreement might encounter resistance from the incoming administration of US President-elect Donald Trump. The UK Foreign Office stated that the deal served “in both sides’ shared interests”. A spokesperson elaborated that this encompassed “ensuring the long-term effective operation of the joint UK-US base on Diego Garcia”. They further mentioned that the United States and India had welcomed the accord, and that the Foreign Office anticipated collaborating with the new Mauritian government to conclude the agreement as a treaty. Marco Rubio, designated by Trump as his choice for secretary of state, has characterized the agreement as a danger to US security. Upon the signing of the agreement, following years of discussions, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his then-Mauritian counterpart Pravind Jugnauth referred to it as a “seminal moment in our relationship and a demonstration of our enduring commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes and the rule of law”. Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the UK opposition, criticized the government, alleging it did not understand “how to defend our national interests” during its management of the negotiations. Certain organizations advocating for Chagossian interests have also voiced apprehension, asserting their exclusion from the negotiation process. On Monday, Prime Minister Ramgoolam conveyed his reservations regarding the accord subsequent to a meeting with Jonathan Powell, the UK’s national security adviser. He stated, “I informed them that I wished to have more time to study the details with a panel of legal advisers.” He additionally expressed astonishment that the specifics were concluded merely a little over a month prior to Mauritius’s general election. Mr. Powell indicated that discussions would persist, and both parties consented to reconvene in Mauritius in two weeks to provide an update on their advancement. During the election campaign, Ramgoolam and his associates within the Change coalition leveled accusations of “high treason” against then-Prime Minister Jugnauth, characterizing the agreement as a “sell-out” driven by desperation before the ballot. Arvin Boolell, the recently appointed minister of agro-industry and fisheries, offered more precise objections in his remarks on Monday. He criticized the previous prime minister for granting the UK an extended lease over Diego Garcia, stating it was for 200 years, despite the publicly announced duration being an initial period of 99 years. Boolell commented to a newspaper, “In other words,” “the tenant has become the owner of Diego Garcia for 200 years.” Over recent years, the United Kingdom has encountered increasing diplomatic isolation concerning its assertion of control over what it designates as the British Indian Ocean Territory, as numerous United Nations entities, including its highest court and general assembly, have largely supported Mauritius and called for the UK to relinquish what some have termed its “last colony in Africa”. The Mauritian government has consistently maintained that it was unlawfully compelled to cede the Chagos Islands in exchange for its independence from the UK in 1968. Concurrently, the British government had already brokered a confidential agreement with the US, consenting to lease the largest atoll, Diego Garcia, for deployment as a military installation. Britain subsequently issued an apology for the forced relocation of over 1,000 islanders from the whole archipelago and pledged to transfer the islands to Mauritius once they ceased to be required for strategic objectives. Until a very recent period, the UK asserted that Mauritius possessed no legitimate entitlement to the islands.